فاطمه سادات شيخ الاسلامي

The rapid growth of population an‎d the increasing concentration of economic, political, an‎d service activities in the Tehran metropolitan area during recent decades have led to a range of social, economic, an‎d environmental challenges. Excessive centralization in Tehran has imposed growing pressure on urban infrastructure, increased environmental pollution, intensified spatial inequalities, an‎d reduced the overall quality of life of residents. Under these conditions, the need for population decentralization an‎d the adoption of sustainable regional development approaches has become increasingly important. Accordingly, the main research question of this study is as follows: which strategies can contribute to a more balanced distribution of population an‎d the improvement of regional sustainability within the Tehran metropolitan area? This research is applied in nature an‎d adopts a developmental approach. A mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative an‎d qualitative methods, was employed. In the quantitative phase, indicators related to sustainable regional development were identified an‎d weighted based on expert opinions using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Subsequently, policy alternatives for population decentralization were eva‎luated an‎d ranked using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). In the qualitative phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with experts, an‎d the institutional, strategic, an‎d implementation-related dimensions of population decentralization were examined through thematic analysis using MAXQDA software. The integration of quantitative an‎d qualitative findings provided a comprehensive understan‎ding of the opportunities an‎d constraints associated with population decentralization in the Tehran metropolitan area. The results of the study indicate that the strategy of polycentric development an‎d the establishment of independent economic centers is the most effective approach to population decentralization. This strategy is followed by the development of new towns, migration management an‎d control policies, an‎d capital relocation, respectively. Furthermore, the qualitative findings show that the successful implementation of these strategies requires strengthening local institutions, improving coordination among different levels of governance, an‎d increasing investment in sustainable infrastructure. Based on these findings, the study proposes a policy framework aimed at reducing population concentration in Tehran an‎d promoting spatial equity an‎d sustainable regional development.

تمركززدايي جمعيتي , توسعه پايدار منطقه اي , كلان شهر تهران , سياست هاي فضايي

decentralization of urbanization , regional sustainable development , metropolitan of Tehran , spatial policies

Fatemehsadat Sheikholeslami

Dr Mohammadsaleh Shokouhibidhendi