Tehran Faces Multiple Crises: Ground Subsidence Claims Lives, Satellite Launches, and Public Protests

In Tehran, Iran, a series of critical incidents has highlighted the city’s ongoing challenges. Recently, multiple ground subsidence incidents have resulted in significant loss of life. According to Ali Beitollahi, the head of the Earthquake Department at the Center for Roads, Housing, and Urban Development Research, four people have died due to ground subsidence events. Two fatalities occurred at Meydan-e Qiyam, and two more in the Shahran area. A firefighter and a worker were among those buried under soil in the Meydan-e Qiyam incident.

The primary causes of these subsidence events are attributed to numerous abandoned qanats (underground aqueducts) and erosion caused by high-pressure leakage from drinking water pipes. Beitollahi warned that the risk of ground subsidence is heightened, particularly in areas like District One, where a subsidence during peak traffic hours could result in high human casualties. The subsidence zone in Tehran Province is extensive, covering an area of 60 kilometers in length and 35 kilometers in width, affecting nearly 3 million people.

In addition to these infrastructure challenges, Tehran has also been the site of public protests. A recent incident involved a female student who stripped to her underwear outside the Islamic Azad University in a reported protest against Iran’s strict Islamic dress code. The incident has been widely shared on social media, with varying accounts of the events leading up to her detention.

On the international front, Iran and Russia have strengthened their scientific cooperation with the successful launch of two Iranian satellites, Kowsar and Hodhod, into orbit using a Russian Soyuz rocket. These satellites, developed by Iran’s private space sector, mark a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two countries. This launch is part of a broader expansion of ties between Moscow and Tehran, which includes cooperation in various spheres and has been a subject of concern for Ukraine and Western countries.