Tehran Privacy Protection and Sustainable Development (Threats and Opportunities)
الموضوعات : Journal of Land Use and Sustainable Development
Alireza Khatibi
1
,
Ali shamsoddini
2
1 - Ph.D. Candidate Department of Geography, d Research BranchS, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor Department of Geography, Shi.C., Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
الکلمات المفتاحية: Threat and Opportunity, Green Belt, Protection and Sustainable Development, Tehran Privacy, Meta-SWOT Software.,
ملخص المقالة :
Tehran Privacy is home to nearly 16 million people. This privacy has been local until now to attack the land grabbers and the invasion of the poor and even some official organizations in the form of cooperatives that the areas of spatial division have marked it. . Such privacy needs an efficient, comprehensive management, with appropriate consistency and efficiency, and most importantly integrated and comprehensive to prevent the loss of this amount of its remaining valuable spaces. The main goal of this research is to examine the threats and opportunities for protection and sustainable development of Tehran Privacy using the Meta-SWOT software as a strategic technique. The required data for this research was collected through studying and analyzing relevant articles, books, and theses, as well as data from related organizations (such as the General Office Tehran Privacy and the Statistical Center of Iran). This research is application-oriented in terms of objectives and descriptive-analytical in terms of methodology. Snowball sampling was used to select the expert panel (Delphi method), ultimately resulting in the selection of 12 individuals. The findings indicate that environmental degradation, unauthorized constructions, land grabbing, migration, informal settlements, and fragmented management are the main threats to the Protection and sustainable development of the Privacy. Meta-SWOT believes that there are resources and capabilities in the studied geography that serve as opportunities for Protection and sustainable development; the most important of these opportunities is "integrated privacy management," followed by "t
Alipour H. Ziari U. Sarvar R. (2020). Analysis of the Impact of the Proposed Law of Urban managment in Iran on the Realization of Regional Governance the Limits of Metropolitan Area (Case Study of Tehran Metropolis). Geography (Regional Planning), 9(37), 899-924.
https://www.jgeoqeshm.ir/article_104777.html
Bahrami Jaf S. Nasirian N. Takrousta M. (2022). Urban Fringe; Protection or Development (Investigation and Analysis of Five Decades of Planning For Urban Fringe). Political Organizing of Space 2022; 4(2): 70-86.
https://www.sid.ir/paper/987085/fa#downloadbottom
Bana M. Sarvar R. Ghorbaninezhad R. (2019). Challenges and Strategies for Organizational Management and Sustainable Development in Tehran. Quarterly of Geography & Regional Planning 2019; 9(36): 195-213. DOR: 20.1001.1.22286462.1398.9.4.35.5
https://www.jgeoqeshm.ir/article_99029.html
Dockerill B. Sturzaker J. (2019). Green Belts and urban containment: the Merseyside experience. Journal Planning Perspectives. Published 12 May 2019. Pages 583-618
Feng J. Xie Sh. (2020). Tourism-induced landscape change along China’s rural-urban fringe: a case study of Zhangjiazha. Journal Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research. Published online: 16 Sep 2020. Pages 914-93
Hakimpour M. Azimi Amoli J. Janbaz Ghobadi Gh R.Motevalli S. (2025). Recreating the Worn-Out Urban Fabric with a Good Governance Approach (Case Study: Worn-Out Texture of the City of Sari).Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning, 4(), 17-30.
https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Journal/jshsp/Article/1032406
Kashkoli m. Mahdavi Hajiloui m. Shariat Panahi M V. (2023). Evaluation of the Role of Informal Settlements in the Urban Spatial Structure (Case Study: Hamadan City).Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning, 3(), 199-209.
https://sanad.iau.ir/en/Journal/jshsp/Article/1031739
Khaliji M A. Sarvar R. Zarabadi Z. (2017). Analysis on the Types of Fragmentations and their Effectiveness on the Integrated Fulfillment Management of the Capital Suburb. Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning 2017; 13 (2): 283- 303.
https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/jshsp/Article/1030794
Menzori I D. de Sousa I C N. Gonçalves L M. (2021). Urban Growth Management and Territorial Governance Approaches: A Master Plans Conformance Analysis. Land Use Policy. 105. 105436
Mohammadnejad M. Naghibi F. (2024). Investigating the Infill Development Potential in urban development (case study: the 4th Region of Urmia City). Urban Space and Social Life, 2(7), 41-56. doi: 10.22034/jprd.2024.59286.1069
https://urplanning.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_17570.html?lang=en
Nasermostofi A. Ghalambor Dezfouli R. (2021). Evaluation of the causes and consequences of the failure in the integrated management of the capital's privacy, emphasizing the requirements of the comprehensive plan of the city of Tehran. Quarterly of Geography & Regional Planning 2021; 11(4): 319-340. DOI: 10.22034/JGEOQ.2021.136725
https://www.jgeoqeshm.ir/article_136725.html
Parvinzad M. Valizade R. Hoseinzade Dalir K. Ahmadzade H. (2023). Analysis of Key Drivers Affecting the Development of Informal Settlement with a Futures Research Approach, a Case Study of Informal Settlements in Tabriz Metropolis. Journal of Geography and Planning, 27(83), 13-26. doi: 10.22034/gp.2023.14300
https://geoplanning.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_14300.html?lang=en
Shaikhi M. Shabestar M. (2018). Pathology of the Integrated Management of the Tehran Metropolitan Peri-urban Area. Quarterly Journals of Urban and Regional Development Planning, 3(4), 1-34. doi: 10.22054/urdp.2019.42544.1128
https://urdp.atu.ac.ir/article_10598.html?lang=en
Zarabadi Z S. Khatibi A R. (2021). Protection and Sustainable Development of Tehran privacy Using the Meta-SWOT Model. 7th National Congress on civil engineering, architecture and urban development papers.
https://civilica.com/doc/1374023/
|
Journal of Land Use and Sustainable Development Spring 2025. Vol 2. Issue 1
|
|
Original Research Paper
Tehran Privacy Protection and Sustainable Development
(Threats and Opportunities)
Alireza Khatibi: Ph.D. Candidate Department of Geography, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Ali Shamsoddini1: Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran.
Abstract | A R T I C L E I N F O |
Tehran Privacy is home to nearly 16 million people. This privacy has been local until now to attack the land grabbers and the invasion of the poor and even some official organizations in the form of cooperatives that the areas of spatial division have marked it. Such privacy needs an efficient, comprehensive management, with appropriate consistency and efficiency, and most importantly integrated and comprehensive to prevent the loss of this amount of its remaining valuable spaces. The main goal of this research is to examine the threats and opportunities for protection and sustainable development of Tehran Privacy using the Meta-SWOT software as a strategic technique. The required data for this research was collected through studying and analyzing relevant articles, books, and theses, as well as data from related organizations (such as the General Office Tehran Privacy and the Statistical Center of Iran). This research is application-oriented in terms of objectives and descriptive-analytical in terms of methodology. Snowball sampling was used to select the expert panel (Delphi method), ultimately resulting in the selection of 12 individuals. The findings indicate that environmental degradation, unauthorized constructions, land grabbing, migration, informal settlements, and fragmented management are the main threats to the Protection and sustainable development of the Privacy. Meta-SWOT believes that there are resources and capabilities in the studied geography that serve as opportunities for Protection and sustainable development; the most important of these opportunities is "integrated privacy management," followed by "the attention of officials and the establishment of uniformity among all organizations involved in the Privacy." | Received: 2025/05/22 Accepted: 2025/07/21 PP: 31-42
Use your device to scan and read the article online
Keywords: Threat and Opportunity, Green Belt, Protection and Sustainable Development, Tehran Privacy, Meta-SWOT Software.
|
Citation: Khatibi, A.R., & Shamsoddini, A. (2025). Tehran Privacy Protection and Sustainable Development (Threats and Opportunities). Journal of Land Use and Sustainable Development, 2(1), 31-42. https://doi.org/10.82173/juep.2025.1208542 | |||
|
[1] * Corresponding author: Ali Shamsoddini, Email: Ali.shamsoddini@yahoo.com, Tel:+989177234707
Introduction
One of the major existing problems in the country can be traced back to the privacy. The importance of the privacy in our country is such that it has even engaged the Supreme Leader, leading him to state in August 2005 to the members of the City Council: "The issue of the privacy of Tehran is a reality; it must be addressed. Decide, stand firm, and make full use of legal tools for this purpose." Two months later, he reiterated the issue of the privacy: "Lands in the north and east of Tehran have been sold to cooperatives, involving a large number of people in the matter. All of those lands must be freed, and natural green spaces created, with compensation provided to the people either in land or housing. A firm resolve is necessary for this work" (Khatibi and Zarabadi, 2021).
Tehran, the political and economic heart of Iran, With over 8 million residents navigating a layered socio-economic landscape, contend with distinct challenges (Khaliji, 2025).
The expansion of urbanization and the increase in migration from rural to urban areas have led to unplanned urban development and inevitable failures in physical management of cities. On the other hand, the existence of structural deficiencies and shortcomings in Tehran regarding integrated privacy management, along with a variety of influential stakeholders, has turned the issue of the capital's privacy into one of the most challenging topics in urban management. Among these issues and problems are the growth of informal settlements, illegal and unregulated construction, land use changes, fragmentation of agricultural lands, loss of farmland productivity, and the establishment of scattered industrial and commercial units within urban privacies. Part of these deficiencies in integrated privacy management can be attributed to the general state of urban management. One of these shortcomings is the lack of integrated privacy management, a situation that inherently creates conflicts and generates numerous inter-organizational frictions. Moreover, organizations such as the governorate, the district office, and the borough office exist, each having their own organizational duties and programs, which share some overlaps with the municipality. These overlaps lead to conflicting interests in the area of the privacy; these conflicting interests result in a conceptual difference between the current state and the desired state of the privacy (Naser Mostofi and Ghalambar Dezfooli, 2021).
The issues and challenges faced by metropolises seem more from external sources than from internal ones. They result from the establishment of millions of people and thousands of activity centers around them, which, in the absence of integrated management and a cross-sectional and trans-urban approach, have turned into centers producing economic and social issues in various forms, from travel production to poverty, social inequality, and spatial and visual disorder. Transitioning to an urban management approach or integrated city-region while strengthening and unifying policy and intervention processes and empowering local management has become a necessary subject rather than an optional one. The topic or issue of the privacy and how to plan for and manage it is not merely the concern of the municipality or governorate; the existence and protection of its ecological values are the basis for the livelihood of the current and future generations. A significant portion of the current challenges facing metropolises, including Tehran and its privacy, are the result of sectoral approaches applied over the past half-century. Continuing such a trend and perspective cannot guarantee the protection and comprehensive development of the region in various spatial, infrastructural, social, and economic dimensions. The privacy is not merely a physical issue that can be controlled by zoning plans and the implementation of certain regulations and guidelines. The urban privacy of Tehran is home to nearly 16 million people and has been a place for encroachment by land grabbers, an influx of the poor, and even some official organizations in the form of cooperatives, contributing to the fragmentation of spatial management (BahramiJaf, Nasirian & Takrousta, 2022).
Currently, Tehran privacy faces various challenges, including encroachments on environmental capabilities, destruction of arable lands, land and hill grabbing, reduction of suitable spaces, expansion of informal and unregulated settlements, aggressive occupations, encroachments on service lands and urban reserves, and the issuance of irregular permits driven by an island-like, profit-seeking perspective aimed at generating daily income. These challenges cannot be ignored. In metropolitan Tehran, due to the lack of a coherent privacy and serious control, overlapping and duplicative responsibilities have led to land grab and uncontrolled construction, even by national and military institutions, resulting in widespread destruction of landscapes and sustainable environmental potentials and the creation of rent-seeking and informal settlements on the outskirts of this city. Along with physical challenges, significant spatial challenges such as economic and social issues, influenced by poverty, unemployment, high population growth, and other damages, threaten the city. Therefore, it is essential to seriously prevent the uncontrolled expansion and development of such issues in the city's privacy through precise and appropriate planning. The continuous advance and exacerbation of challenges will lead to the destruction of the metropolitan Tehran privacy and the loss of its urban reserve lands, which are vital for the city's sustainable future (Khaliji, Sarvar & Zarabadi, 2016).
According to studies conducted by the General Office of Tehran privacy, more than 26 organizations and institutions are involved in policymaking within the privacy area. Furthermore, based on demographic forecasts, nearly three million more people will be added to this area by around the year 1405 (2026). This is occurring at a time when the privacy zone currently faces various challenges that go far beyond the problems of Tehran itself. Encroachments on environmental capabilities, hill grabbing, reduction of southern spaces, the expansion of informal settlements, aggressive occupations, and the issuance of sectoral permits from an island-like perspective are some of these challenges, and one cannot remain indifferent to their trends even for a moment (Bana, Sarvar & Ghobani Nezhad, 2019).
Tehran privacy are the primary location for the emergence of anomalies in informal settlements for the reasons mentioned. Informal housing in metropolitan areas is not limited to marginal regions but rather has destructive impacts on the entire city, resulting in various urbanization anomalies. These anomalies range from the employment of marginalized individuals in informal and counterfeit jobs and the presence of illegal constructions to the inability of municipalities to provide appropriate services in these areas, as well as environmental pollution and adverse cultural, economic, social, and political effects of these regions on the entire urban system. Furthermore, the increase in crime and deviance in these areas are all detrimental by-products of marginalization, affecting both the residents of these areas and other inhabitants of large cities. Given the economic, social, physical, and environmental deficiencies in these areas, the lack of control, management, and improvement will impose serious damages on the entire city in various dimensions (Parvinzad et al., 2023).
Urban space analysis has always been one of the primary challenges in urban planning and management due to the complexity of structures, the dynamic nature of patterns, and the vast volume of urban environment data (Karbasi Salmasi, 2025).
Louis, a German geographer, was the first specialist to focus on the concept of urban privacies while participating in a study of Berlin's privacy structure in 1936, proposing a specific name for the area within the privacies. Conzon provided the following definition of privacies: "a periodic extension of the city to reduce disorder around it." Wahrwein spoke of a differentiation and transformation for this area: an apparent transition from residential areas to industrial zones. Pryor, in 1986, provided a more acceptable refined definition similar to Wahrwein’s, describing a privacy area between urban and rural poles that possesses characteristics of both. He further clarified his definition: in this area, the population density is lower than in the city and higher than in outlying areas surrounding the city, with changing land uses (Mehrnejad Bura, 2014).
Management of urban privacies varies across different countries; South Korea has adopted a Green Belt policy to curb the growth of the Seoul metropolitan area, facing pressures from landowners and developers. Since 1986, Saudi Arabia has focused on privacy lines around cities to control urban sprawl towards endogenous development. In the United States, the pattern of "leapfrog development," distancing from existing settlements, has become the dominant form of widespread urban dispersal in many cities, such as urban privacies in Oregon, San Diego, Portland, and "smart growth" in Seattle, primarily focusing on the establishment of "transit-oriented developments" in both cases. The ongoing trend in France is attributed to Francois Perroux and his Growth Pole Theory, which is aimed at controlling urban growth. In the UK, post-World War II planning principles led to the establishment of Green Belts to separate the city from urban suburbs (Bahrami Jaf, Tak Rostan, and Nasirian, 2022). In a general overview, two main scenarios emerge: the Green Belt (in the UK, France, European countries, and Canada, and even South Korea) and the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) (in American cities, which closely relate to the concept of privacy in Iran).
Literature Review
For instance, managerial, legal, institutional, and spatial physical issues in Tehran metropolitan privacy area complicate and challenge unified management in this area. The multiplicity of laws, fragmented management and institutions, as well as encroachment upon the Tehran privacies by cities within this area are significant issues in this metropolitan region (Sheikhi and Shabestar, 2018).
For instance, the existing laws and actions have not only failed to promote integrated management and spatial organization of the capital's metropolitan privacies but have also exacerbated spatial, economic, social, physical, and environmental challenges. These challenges have resulted in the destruction of agricultural lands, environmental degradation, the spread of informal settlements, increased migration and population density around metropolitan areas, particularly Tehran, intense demographic and economic centralization in the Tehran urban area, a rise in the daytime population of Tehran due to the influx of economically active individuals into the capital, and an increase in social, economic, cultural, infrastructural, transportation, and traffic problems, ultimately leading to air pollution in Tehran (AliPour, Ziyari, and Sarvar, 2019).
For instance, that population growth alongside the horizontal expansion of cities has led to changes in the land use of fertile agricultural lands and has also neglected the central and historical fabric of cities (Mohammadnejad and Naghibi, 2023).
For instance, that unemployment, poverty, dire economic conditions, and various issues have always been among the main problems faced by cities in developing countries, including Iran. A thorough expert review and observation of statistics indicate that if a structured and designed plan is not considered, it poses a threat to entire urban communities. Residents, dealing with numerous issues and living away from minimum acceptable living conditions without access to sustainable income sources, are forced to settle in areas that are not suitable for accommodating these residents, resulting in the emergence of informal settlements (Kashkouli, Mahdavi Hajilooei, and Shariatpanahi, 2023).
For instance, the lack of attention to incremental development in Iran, which is a factor leading to encroachment, has resulted in a significant portion of the old fabric of cities, often forming the initial core, being neglected in the accelerated urbanization and urban development programs, thus turning into decaying and inefficient urban fabrics (Hakimpour et al, 2024).
For instance, that urban development planning must give serious attention to the future expansion of cities and should not constrict city privacies. The dynamics of city limits should not be affected by the city's privacies. Urban privacies with low-density areas are highly attractive to investors, but it is essential that they are accessible to low-income groups as well, and the spaces created in the urban privacies should align with the future growth and development of cities, preventing leaps from urban limits and crossing into areas beyond the city privacies (Dockerill and Sturzaker, 2019).
For instance, since the 1990s, the alteration of spaces and landscapes within the urban privacies of China to tourist and travel-related spaces has gained attention through profit-driven economic programs and has led to significant changes in the morphology, function, and structure of urban privacies. The development of the tourism industry has enhanced the infrastructure of urban privacies but has also led to negative changes in local culture and traditional lifestyles, as well as severe environmental damage in villages and areas surrounding urban privacies (Feng and Xie, 2020).
For instance, the role of territorial governance arrangements in the implementation of centralized growth management plans. Their study focused on the spatial outcomes of urban growth in a medium-sized Brazilian city, in accordance with its master plans under various management by opposing political parties. The findings show that governance capacity affects the spatial distribution of urban growth and, consequently, regulates urban sprawl (Menzori, de Sousa, and Gonçalves, 2021).
The Area under Study
Tehran Privacy is an area outside the legal boundaries of Tehran that is intended to preserve and manage the development of the city and prevent its excessive expansion. This area includes lands and spaces surrounding the city and is under the supervision of Tehran Municipality and other relevant organizations. The area of Tehran Privacy is about 5,918 square kilometers, which is approximately 9 times the size of Tehran's urban area. This area includes various lands and spaces, including agricultural lands, gardens, hills, rivers, and other natural and unnatural spaces. Tehran Privacy is defined based on legal approvals and urban development plans, and its goal is to preserve environmental quality, prevent unauthorized construction, manage natural resources, and provide the necessary infrastructure for the city's sustainable development (Fig. 1).
Fig 1. Study Area (Tehran & Tehran Privacy)
Methodology
The first step in applying the Meta-SWOT model is to define the research objectives. To determine the goals, the expert panel is consulted and the opinions of the experts on this subject are utilized. Due to the non-uniformity of the identified objectives, based on what the Delphi method has established, these objectives are categorized into three priorities: high, medium, and low (Table 1).
Table 1. Identified Objectives for the Research
Priority Level | Objective | Row | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Low | Medium | High | ||
|
| * | Achieving sustainable development of the privacies in line with the country's 20-year vision | 1 |
|
| * | Participation and interaction of all relevant agencies involved in privacy protection | 2 |
|
| * | Preventing the expansion of privacy and establishing its precise privacies | 3 |
|
| * | Serious and uncompromising action against any violations and illegal constructions in the privacies | 4 |
| * |
| Guidance, planning, and control of constructions in the privacies based on municipal law | 5 |
| * |
| Implementation of the Green Belt | 6 |
|
| * | Relocation of polluting jobs and industries from the privacies based on its strategic document | 7 |
| * |
| Changing the negative perception of the public towards privacies | 8 |
| * |
| Training specialized human resources for the management, supervision, and control of the privacies | 9 |
|
| * | Achieving uniformity in addressing illegal constructions in the privacies | 10 |
|
| * | Addressing political, governmental, and nepotistic interventions in the privacies | 11 |
| * |
| Preparing online maps for monitoring the speed of environmental and ecosystem degradation in the privacies | 12 |
|
| * | Organizing and controlling agricultural land use in the privacies | 13 |
| * |
| Creating appropriate managerial mechanisms for monitoring spatial, functional, and demographic changes in the privacies | 14 |
| * |
| Introducing the capabilities and potentials of the privacies to the public | 15 |
| * |
| Creating conditions for liberation from fragmented management and divergent opinions | 16 |
|
| * | Establishing an organization for the management and monitoring of the capital's privacies | 17 |
Source: Research Findings, 2025
In the second step, based on the opinions of experts, specialists, and professionals, the resources and capabilities mentioned in the research were identified and weighted. Because the weights and importance of each objective varied, based on the provided opinions, a weight and significance were allocated to each resource and capability so that the total weights amounted to 100 (Table 2).
Table 2. Weighted Resources and Capabilities for the Research
Weight | Weighted Resources and Capabilities for the Research |
12 | Integrated Management of the privacy |
11 | Presence and Investment of the Private Sector |
3 | Presence and Investment of the Public Sector |
11 | Green Belt |
11 | Relocation of Polluting Industries |
8 | Cooperation of Citizens Residing in the Border and Increased Public Participation |
7 | Natural Attractions |
7 | Recreational and Tourism Infrastructure and Facilities |
5 | Continuous Field Visits and Supervision by Experts |
4 | Expansion of Organic Agriculture |
8 | Attention of Officials and Establishment of Uniform Procedure Among All Involved Agencies in the Border |
7 | Financial Resource Management in Border Affairs |
6 | Deteriorated Urban Fabric for Infill Development and Countering Encroachment on the Border |
100 | Total Weight of Resources and Capabilities |
Source: Research Findings, 2025
In the third step, we identify competitive dimensions, determine competitors, and compare their capabilities with the research title. These competitors are considered major issues and essential threats in the journey towards achieving the research title (Table 3).
Table 3. Competitive Dimensions and Competitors for the Research Title and Their Status
Competitor | Status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Very Important | Important | Moderate | Low Importat | Unimportant | |
Preventing the Emergence of Social Damages | * |
|
|
|
|
Preventing Unauthorized Constructions | * |
|
|
|
|
Preventing Land Grabbing |
| * |
|
|
|
Preventing Migration and Creating Informal Settlements | * |
|
|
|
|
Preventing Fragmented Management (Diversity of Laws and Multiplicity of Law Enforcers) |
|
| * |
|
|
Preventing the Change of Use of Gardens and Agricultural Land |
| * |
|
|
|
Preventing Environmental Degradation | * |
|
|
|
|
Preventing the Implementation of Green Belt |
| * |
|
|
|
Preventing Management and Supervision of Infill Development |
|
| * |
|
|
Preventing the Emergence of Political, Governmental, and Economic Rents | * |
|
|
|
|
Preventing Industrial Pollution |
|
| * |
|
|
Preventing the Increase in Land Price Volatility |
|
| * |
|
|
Source: Research Findings, 2025
What has been entered into the software in the first three steps as input and "data" is now being published as the first output under the title "Competitive Map and Prioritization of Competitors." But what is this competitive map? The competitive map of the research title, along with what has been extracted from the Meta-SWOT software under the title of numerical analysis, shows us the ranking of the 12 introduced competitors. Environmental degradation is the biggest competitor and a threatening factor for the protection and sustainable development of Tehran privacy. Unauthorized constructions are in the second place, and land grabbing is considered the third competitor of the thesis title. In the fourth to sixth ranks, respectively, the change of use of gardens and agricultural land, the creation of industrial pollution, and the prevention of the implementation of the green belt are placed. The seventh rank is assigned to migration and informal settlements, the eighth rank to fragmented management (diversity of laws and multiplicity of law enforcers), and the ninth rank to the emergence of political, governmental, and economic rents. These competitors are the ones that severely threaten and challenge the thesis title (Table 4).
Table 4. Ranking of the 12 Introduced Competitors
Competitor | Protection | Sustainable Development | Sum | Rank | |||
Absolute | Normalized | Absolute | Normalized | Absolute | Normalized | ||
Preventing the Emergence of Social Damages | 2.19 | 1.18 | 1.90 | 0.95 | 4.09 | 2.14 | 10 |
Preventing Unauthorized Constructions | 1.73 | 0.93 | 1.31 | 0.66 | 3.04 | 1.60 | 2 |
Preventing Land Grabbing | 1.54 | 0.83 | 1.67 | 0.84 | 3.20 | 1.67 | 3 |
Preventing Migration and Creating Informal Settlements | 1.67 | 0.90 | 2.23 | 1.12 | 3.90 | 2.02 | 7 |
Preventing Fragmented Management (Diversity of Laws and Multiplicity of Law Enforcers) | 1.62 | 0.87 | 2.31 | 1.16 | 3.93 | 2.03 | 8 |
Preventing the Change of Use of Gardens and Agricultural Land | 1.67 | 0.90 | 1.81 | 0.91 | 3.48 | 1.81 | 4 |
Preventing Environmental Degradation | 1.48 | 0.80 | 1.35 | 0.68 | 2.83 | 1.48 | 1 |
Preventing the Implementation of Green Belt | 1.60 | 0.86 | 2.02 | 1.01 | 3.62 | 1.88 | 6 |
Preventing Management and Supervision of Infill Development | 2.56 | 1.38 | 2.52 | 1.26 | 5.08 | 2.65 | 11 |
Preventing the Emergence of Political, Governmental, and Economic Rents | 1.54 | 0.83 | 2.54 | 1.28 | 4.08 | 2.11 | 9 |
Preventing Industrial Pollution | 2.06 | 1.11 | 1.44 | 0.72 | 3.50 | 1.83 | 5 |
Preventing the Increase in Land Price Volatility | 2.58 | 1.39 | 2.79 | 1.40 | 5.37 | 2.79 | 12 |
Source: Research Findings, 2025
After the software reveals its first output titled "Competitive Map," we enter the fourth step. In this stage, we evaluate resources and capabilities based on a resource-based view and determine their status from three aspects: rarity (value), imitability (non-imitability), and non-substitutability across five levels: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree according to the opinions gathered from Delphi experts (Fig 2).
Fig 2. Inputting the Output of the Resource-Based View from Delphi into the Meta-SWOT Software
In the fifth step, we determine PESTEL factors. These factors are outside the control of the organization and are considered external factors. They are divided into six categories: Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Environmental, and Legal. The acronym PESTEL represents the six major influential areas in the external environment, which are beyond the organization's control (Fig 3).
Fig 3. Inputting the Output of PESTEL Factors from Delphi into the Meta-SWOT Software
Step six is the first stage of the fit strategy, which means the fit between resources and capabilities with external factors (PESTEL). The goal of this stage can be summarized as how resources and capabilities support opportunities and help reduce threats. Step seven is the second stage of the fit strategy, which means the fit between resources and capabilities with the objectives of the thesis. In this stage, the impact of resources and capabilities on the thesis objectives is determined, and to what extent the resources and capabilities support the objectives of the thesis.
And now, the final stage, which is the ultimate goal of the research: the final output of the Meta-SWOT software based on inputs derived from the opinions of experts and scholars of the Delphi temple, titled "Strategic or Tactical Map." In the strategic map, resources and capabilities, as well as external PESTEL factors, are analyzed according to three criteria: the closeness of resources and capabilities to external PESTEL factors, the horizontal and vertical orientation of the factors, and the size of the bubbles. The horizontal axis indicates value, imitability, and organizational fit, while the vertical axis shows the degree of strategic fit of the factors. Additionally, the size of each bubble indicates the degree of alignment with the objectives. On this map, resources and capabilities are represented with bubbles in (blue), and external PESTEL factors are marked with (orange) bubbles (Fig 4).
Fig 4. Strategic Roadmap of the Thesis Title According to the Meta-SWOT Software
Conclusion
One of the most important outputs of the research is as follows: Integrated management and uniformity in decision-making among the involved agencies with the participation of all stakeholders have a significant impact on the protection and sustainable development of Tehran privacy. In the final output of the Meta-SWOT software for the thesis title and in Table 4, resources and capabilities are prioritized according to the strategic roadmap. The top priority is integrated privacy management with a bubble size of 6.97, and the second priority is the attention of officials and the establishment of uniformity among all involved agencies in the privacy with a bubble size of 6.53. These two numbers are the only values greater than 6 among the resources and capabilities and have the highest priority among the resources and capabilities of the thesis title (Table 5).
Table 5. Resources and Capabilities According to the Strategic Roadmap in the Meta-SWOT Software Output
Resource and Capability | X | Y | Bubble Size | Ranking |
Integrated Management of the privacy | 1.68 | 4.62 | 6.97 | 1 |
Presence and Investment of the Private Sector | 1.43 | 3.19 | 5.91 | 3 |
Presence and Investment of the Public Sector | 0.33 | 3.81 | 4.96 | 6 |
Green Belt | 1.32 | 3.94 | 5.47 | 4 |
Relocation of Polluting Industries | 1.32 | 3.62 | 3.71 | 9 |
Cooperation of Citizens Residing in the Border and Increased Public Participation | 0.96 | 3.38 | 3.24 | 11 |
Natural Attractions | 1.05 | 3.31 | 4.94 | 7 |
Recreational and Tourism Infrastructure and Facilities | 0.84 | 3.06 | 3.18 | 12 |
Continuous Field Visits and Supervision by Experts | 0.5 | 3.81 | 3.76 | 8 |
Expansion of Organic Agriculture | 0.4 | 3.69 | 1.79 | 13 |
Attention of Officials and Establishment of Uniform Procedure Among All Involved Agencies in the Border | 1.04 | 4.06 | 6.53 | 2 |
Financial Resource Management in Border Affairs | 0.84 | 3.31 | 3.36 | 10 |
Deteriorated Urban Fabric for Infill Development and Countering Encroachment on the Border | 0.84 | 3.75 | 5.12 | 5 |
Source: Research Findings, 2025
Other important outputs include preventing unauthorized construction and changes in the use of garden and agricultural lands, migration, and the creation of informal settlements alongside social harms, which also have a significant impact on the protection and sustainable development of Tehran privacy. In the final output of the Meta-SWOT software for the thesis title and in Table 5, the prioritization of external (environmental) PESTEL factors is presented. Delphi Method has placed the factors "Social Harms" and "Migration and Creation of Informal Settlements" among these factors. According to this output, social harms have a bubble size of 3, which means it is the second priority. Additionally, migration and the creation of informal settlements have a bubble size of 5, placing it in the first priority position (Table 6).
Table 6. Pestel Factors According to the Strategic Roadmap in the Meta-SWOT Software Output
PESTEL External Factors | X | Y | Bubble Size |
Unauthorized Construction | 5 | 1 | 5 |
Land Grabbing | 5 | 1 | 5 |
Pollution and Environmental Degradation | 5 | 1 | 3 |
Natural Hazards | 3.2 | 1 | 3 |
Migration and Informal Settlements | 5 | 2 | 5 |
Shortage of Prepared Land within the privacy | 1.8 | 2 | 3 |
Increase in Price Fluctuations of Land | 5 | 2 | 3 |
Population Growth | 4 | 2 | 5 |
Political and Governmental Issues (Rents) | 4 | 2 | 5 |
Global Warming | 1.8 | 3 | 3 |
Urban Sprawl | 2.4 | 2 | 3 |
Destruction of Orchards and Vegetation Cover | 3.2 | 2 | 3 |
Dispersed Management and Legal Conflicts | 4 | 1 | 5 |
Social Harms | 3.2 | 2 | 3 |
Diversity of Laws and Multiple Implementers | 5 | 2 | 3 |
Top-down Arbitrary Decision Making | 4 | 2 | 3 |
Source: Research Findings, 2025
Recommendations
1. Accelerate the verification of the privacies of villages, locations, towns, and military centers within the privacies of the metropolis of Tehran.
2. Develop integrated solutions and pay attention to the existing vacant lands within the privacies of the metropolis of Tehran.
3. Utilize the capacities of the Broadcasting as the main source of advertising and public awareness to overcome the negative perception of the privacies.
4. Train specialized personnel to assign the role of privacy experts to them.
5. Update the necessary equipment for precise and real-time monitoring of privacy developments.
6. Rank the organizations involved in the privacies of the metropolis of Tehran into three categories: critical, key, and important to overcome conflicting views and conventional bureaucracies.
7. Clarify the specific issues regarding privacies in light of the recent events over the past six months, from granting full authority to the municipality to requiring permission for any intervention from the municipality in privacy issues.
References
Alipour, H., Ziari, U., & Sarvar, R. (2020). Analysis of the Impact of the Proposed Law of Urban managment in Iran on the Realization of Regional Governance the Limits of Metropolitan Area (Case Study of Tehran Metropolis). Geography (Regional Planning), 9(37), 899-924. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.22286462.1398.10.37.50.9 [In Persian]
Bahrami Jaf, S., Nasirian, N., & Takrousta M. (2022). Urban Fringe; Protection or Development (Investigation and Analysis of Five Decades of Planning For Urban Fringe). Political Organizing of Space 2022; 4(2): 70-86. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.26455145.2022.4.2.2.4 [In Persian]
Bana M. Sarvar R. Ghorbaninezhad R. (2019). Challenges and Strategies for Organizational Management and Sustainable Development in Tehran. Quarterly of Geography & Regional Planning 2019; 9(36): 195-213. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.22286462.1398.9.4.35.5 [In Persian]
Dockerill B. Sturzaker J. (2019). Green Belts and urban containment: the Merseyside experience. Journal Planning Perspectives. Published 12 May 2019. Pages 583-618
Feng J. Xie Sh. (2020). Tourism-induced landscape change along China’s rural-urban fringe: a case study of Zhangjiazha. Journal Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research. Published online: 16 Sep 2020. Pages 914-93
Hakimpour, M., Azimi Amoli, J., Janbaz Ghobadi, Gh.R., & Motevalli, S. (2025). Recreating the Worn-Out Urban Fabric with a Good Governance Approach (Case Study: Worn-Out Texture of the City of Sari). Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning, 4(69), 17-30.https://doi.org/10.71633/jshsp.2025.1032406 [In Persian]
Karbasi Salmasi, A. (2025). Exploring the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Understanding Urban Spaces (Case Study: Zanjan City). Journal of Land Use and Sustainable Development, 1(1), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.82173/jlusd.2025.1201783
Kashkoli, M., Mahdavi Hajiloui, M., & Shariat Panahi, M.V. (2023). Evaluation of the Role of Informal Settlements in the Urban Spatial Structure (Case Study: Hamadan City). Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning, 3(18), 199-209. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.25385968.1402.18.3.6.7 [In Persian]
khaliji, M.A., (2025). Analysis of the Human Resources Governance System in Tehran Municipality with a Sustainable Urban Development Approach. Journal of Land Use and Sustainable Development, 1(1), 93-100. https://doi.org/10.82173/jlusd.2025.1208142
Khaliji, M.A., Sarvar, R., & Zarabadi, Z.S. (2017). Analysis on the Types of Fragmentations and their Effectiveness on the Integrated Fulfillment Management of the Capital Suburb. Journal of Studies of Human Settlements Planning 2017; 13 (2): 283- 303. https://sanad.iau.ir/Journal/jshsp/Article/1030794 [In Persian]
Menzori I D. de Sousa I C N. Gonçalves L M. (2021). Urban Growth Management and Territorial Governance Approaches: A Master Plans Conformance Analysis. Land Use Policy. 105. 105436
Mohammadnejad, M., & Naghibi, F. (2024). Investigating the Infill Development Potential in urban development (case study: the 4th Region of Urmia City). Urban Space and Social Life, 2(7), 41-56. https://doi.org/10.22034/jprd.2024.59286.1069 [In Persian]
Nasermostofi, A., & Ghalambor Dezfouli, R. (2021). Evaluation of the causes and consequences of the failure in the integrated management of the capital's privacy, emphasizing the requirements of the comprehensive plan of the city of Tehran. Quarterly of Geography & Regional Planning 2021; 11(4): 319-340. https://doi.org/10.22034/JGEOQ.2021.136725
Parvinzad, M., Valizade, R., Hoseinzade Dalir, K., & Ahmadzade, H. (2023). Analysis of Key Drivers Affecting the Development of Informal Settlement with a Futures Research Approach, a Case Study of Informal Settlements in Tabriz Metropolis. Journal of Geography and Planning, 27(83), 13-26. https://doi.org/10.22034/gp.2023.14300 [In Persian]
Shaikhi, M., & Shabestar, M. (2018). Pathology of the Integrated Management of the Tehran Metropolitan Peri-urban Area. Quarterly Journals of Urban and Regional Development Planning, 3(4), 1-34. https://doi.org/10.22054/urdp.2019.42544.1128 [In Persian]
Zarabadi, Z.S., & Khatibi, A.R. (2021). Protection and Sustainable Development of Tehran privacy Using the Meta-SWOT Model. 7th National Congress on civil engineering, architecture and urban development papers. https://civilica.com/doc/1374023 [In Persin]
