{"id":313009,"date":"2023-10-30T15:08:53","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T14:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=313009"},"modified":"2023-10-30T15:08:53","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T14:08:53","slug":"understanding-the-iranian-regimes-push-to-seize-agricultural-lands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/economy\/understanding-the-iranian-regimes-push-to-seize-agricultural-lands\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding The Iranian Regime’s Push to Seize Agricultural Lands"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"iran<\/p>\n

In April 2023, news broke about the confiscation of 18 million hectares<\/a> of agricultural land in Iran. This confiscation plan, which was met with strong public opposition, targeted not only large expanses of land but also smaller agricultural plots owned by farmers who worked their own fields. The regime seized any land lacking documentation endorsed by the ruling authorities, even if these lands had longstanding ownership records, bearing the signatures of generations of local residents who had cultivated them.<\/p>\n

Now, a critical question has emerged: To whom do some of the seized agricultural lands belong? These lands have been rezoned for the construction of residential communities, but the true ownership remains unclear. The change in land use has raised several concerns.<\/p>\n

The controversy intensified to the point where even a state-run newspaper expressed caution about the confiscation of agricultural lands, warning about the implications of the Housing Transformation Act.<\/p>\n

The state-run Hamdeli newspaper wrote, “While the Housing Transformation Act is being pursued, many agricultural lands face potential changes in land use. Hojat Varmaziyari, a university professor and agricultural researcher, raised concerns about the Act, stating that the claim of adding 330,000 hectares to the area within the boundaries of villages and cities would impose a financial burden of around 3,400 trillion tomans on the economy. This goes against the principles outlined in Article 76 of the Constitution, as the parliament cannot pass a law that burdens the nation without a clearly defined funding source.\u201d<\/p>\n

Varmaziyari added, “Up until now, some land grabbers have encroached upon agricultural lands and natural resources outside the boundaries of urban areas and villages. The consequence of this law is that illegal constructions, which were previously at risk of being demolished, have now been granted legal status.”<\/p>\n

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#Iran<\/a> News in Brief
In a report dated May 29, the state-run newspaper Sharq exposed some information about the potential confiscation of Iran\u2019s lands and water resources by the ruling clerics and #IRGCterrorists<\/a>. https:\/\/t.co\/rc22s4ytfz<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/SHrxy1hTh3<\/a><\/p>\n

— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 2, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n