This revelation has sparked widespread public outcry and highlighted severe mismanagement of the city’s natural resources. The Director-General of Tehran’s Department of Natural Resources has confirmed that trees in Chitgar Forest Park are being removed to create a new cultural complex. However, Alireza Zakani, the Mayor of Tehran, has claimed ignorance regarding these activities when questioned, raising concerns about transparency and governance.
Over the past few years, around 16,000 trees in Tehran’s forest parks have succumbed to pest infestations and drought, exacerbated by inadequate municipal management. Recently, another 2,700 trees in Chitgar Park have perished and are slated for removal and replacement. This alarming trend underscores the critical state of Tehran’s urban forestry.
In addition to these environmental challenges, Tehran’s municipal management is aggressively pushing for construction permits within forest parks, including plans for private hotel projects. Navid Khasehhbaf, CEO of the Tehran Municipality Investment and People’s Participation Organization, announced initiatives to attract investors for four five-star hotels in these parks. This move has been met with significant opposition from residents who argue that forest parks should remain natural sanctuaries, not commercial sites.
#Iran: Instead of aiding in preserving jungles and wildlife in Iran, the regime has had an active role in deforestation and destroying Iran’s vegetation, which in turn has led to other calamities such as seasonal floods. #WorldEnvironmentDay #ForNature https://t.co/VP97WiEPw9
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 5, 2020
Despite assurances from the Director-General of Tehran’s Department of Natural Resources to prevent hotel construction in these parks, public discontent continues to grow. Residents have labeled the ongoing tree cutting and neglect as a “massacre of trees.” City contractors ‘ poor maintenance and inadequate watering have led to significant tree deaths in Sorkhe Hesar Forest Park, further fueling public protests.
Concerns are also mounting about potential tree damage during the construction of new facilities in other parks like Qeytarieh and Kharazmi. Recent data paints a grim picture: approximately 16,000 trees have been lost due to poor municipal management, and nearly 150 trees were illegally felled in Chitgar Park alone for a cultural complex. Experts estimate that around 10,000 trees were cut between 2014 and 2018 in Chitgar’s “Secret of Existence” garden.
Reza Bayani, Director-General of the Tehran Department of Natural Resources, reports about 2 million trees in the Chitgar and Sorkhe Hesar Forest Parks combined. However, mismanagement has led to thousands of trees being marked for removal in Chitgar alone. Bayani also highlighted a municipal contractor’s recent illegal cutting of approximately 70 trees in Khargoush Darreh Forest Park.
#Iran News in Brief
According to the state-run IRIB news agency, the director-general of Khuzestan Meteorology said: “Today’s temperature in Abadan, Omidieh, and Ahvaz agricultural stations reached 50 degrees Celsius.” 1/2https://t.co/erFAIsHwsA pic.twitter.com/HT8RKiC829
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 21, 2022
Critics argue that financial gain is the primary driver behind this deforestation. Under Mayor Zakani’s administration, there is a pervasive perception that the municipality prioritizes profit over environmental stewardship, aiming to boost revenue by developing hotels and heavy structures. This has resulted in widespread destruction of trees, with many Tehran residents accusing the mayor’s office of greed and mismanagement.
This trend of deforestation reflects a broader pattern of environmental neglect under Iran’s regime, intensifying public frustration and disillusionment. As urban development continues to encroach upon Tehran’s green spaces, these policies’ environmental and social implications are becoming increasingly severe, prompting urgent calls for sustainable management and conservation efforts.
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