Why Iran Doesn’t Build On Its Own Coastline

Iran has over 1,500 miles of coastline, yet its beaches are eerily quiet, its cities sparse, and its waterfronts devoid of the glittering skylines seen across the Persian Gulf. For a country with 88 million people and a critical position at the heart of global trade routes, the silence along its shores feels almost unbelievable. From brutal desert heat in the south to impassable mountain ranges in the north, geography has thrown up nearly every obstacle imaginable. Add earthquakes, water scarcity, and political isolation, and you begin to understand why development stalled. But Iran’s neighbors: like Dubai and Doha faced similar challenges and built right through them. So why hasn’t Iran? This short documentary unpacks the forgotten forces: cultural, historic, and strategic, that shaped Iran’s inward-facing cities and left its coasts undeveloped. As the government eyes a tourism revival, the big question remains: can Iran finally unlock its coastal potential—or will the mountains, tremors, and politics keep holding it back?