Iranian cities have some of the World's worst air quality

The air in Tehran and some other major metropolises across Iran is regularly impacted by dangerously high levels of pollution. For many reasons, but mostly economic, the Iranian state is currently unable to regulate air pollutant emissions from engines. 70% to 80% of this air pollution is caused by cars and other motorised vehicles, especially motorbikes.

A thick layer of smog enveloping the city remains trapped for winter months due to the phenomenon called ‘temperature inversion,’ say experts. The long spell of dryness makes it only worse. The World Health Organization had in 2018 put Tehran in the category of ‘most polluted cities in the world,’ while the World Bank in its 2018 report said the city accounts for 4000 of the 12 000 deaths due to air pollution in Iran annually. The problem also affects other major cities such as Tabriz, Isfahan and Mashhad.