Iranrud

Iranrud (

There were two different proposals for the route of the canal:[1]

• directly to the Indian Ocean through Dasht-e Lut, or;
• from the Caspian to Lake Urmia and after that to the Persian Gulf.

History

The idea of linking the two coasts via Iranian territory was first introduced in the 19th century. The first professional study was carried out in the 1960s.

The first iteration of this plan was written by

Many years later, the same plan was suggested to Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who was prime minister at that time.^[2][3]

Routes

• The western route: roughly following the shortest air distance between the two coasts, extends over a total length of about 950 km from the northern end of the
  Zagros and Alborz, especially in the Kurdistan and Hamadan
  provinces, where the altitude of the route would inevitably need to climb to more than 1800 meters. The Western route was mentioned solely as an option, and no more detailed studies were carried out for it, as specialists give a big advantage to a more flexible eastern route.
• Eastern route: stretches from the shores of the
  Bandar Abas as the terminus.^[8] The valleys of both of these rivers intersect Bašakerd's mass and lead to Hamun-e Jaz Murian, the southernmost part of the Iranska plateau or depression whose eastern and northern boundary zones are foreseen for the route is about 600 m n. v. The channel would pass through the area around Iranhahera, and one of its important sources of supply would be the Bampur River
  .

In response to a critical fall in Lake Urmia's water levels, this plan could bring enough water to this lake.

See also

• International North–South Transport Corridor
• Eurasia Canal
• Iranian plateau
• Lake Urmia

References