Iran plans to relocate its capital from Tehran to the southern Makran region due to economic and ecological issues. The move, still in its exploratory phase, aims to decentralise Tehran's dominance.

An Iranian government spokesperson announced that the country is moving its capital city to the south by the coast, inciting both support and backlash.

Another possible factors for the shift in capital could be for reasons of regime stability. The recent collapse of the Syrian Arab Republic, was caused in part by uprisings in and around the capital city of Damascus,

By bne Tehran bureau Moving Iran's capital from Tehran is not feasible, but the country could relocate its economic centre to the Makran coastal region if proper infrastructure is developed, the head of Iran's Supreme Council of Provinces said on January 9 in response the presidency’s plan to move the bulk of the country’s economy to the coast.