Explore hidden qanats beneath Tehran: ancient Persian water tunnels, fading yet vital to Iran’s heritage and water resilience. Clues and what can be done.
Beneath the traffic, under the city’s asphalt, among the skyscrapers and concrete blocks of Tehran, a forgotten piece of the past may be hiding. This isn’t fiction or myth. Iran once relied on a remarkable system of underground water channels — qanats — that delivered water long before modern pipes and pumps. Today only scattered traces survive, and most pass unnoticed.
A qanat is an underground tunnel running from the mountains toward inhabited areas. It is laid with a gentle slope so water can flow by gravity — no pumps, no electricity. Vertical shafts along the route allow cleaning and inspection. The system was devised in Persia more than 3,000 years ago.
In Iran’s arid climate, these channels were a lifeline. They made drinking water available and sustained crops. In some villages they still operate — and, remarkably, they remain effective.
There is not much public information on that front. Open sources offer no maps or firm evidence of a large network beneath the capital. Even so, a few clues endure. In Sohanak, in the city’s northeast, people still speak of several qanats that once supplied water for drinking and irrigation. It suggests that similar underground sources once served Tehran as well.
It’s not only about history. Qanats are part of Iran’s culture and heritage, and UNESCO has recognized their global value. In rural areas the tunnels are still in use, helping conserve water despite heat and scarce rainfall.
In big cities like Tehran, the picture is different. Qanats have steadily vanished: some were buried by construction, others forgotten, others simply deemed expendable. In an era of mounting water stress, that looks like the loss of a quietly practical resource — and, arguably, a missed opportunity.
Yes. The first step is to record what remains: talk to longtime residents, study old maps, comb through archives. Parts of these channels may still lie underground, unseen for years. Just as crucial is telling the story to a wider public — without interest and support, such traces tend to fade away.
Qanats are a reminder that people once found smart, simple ways to endure in hard conditions.
If Tehran wants to keep its connection to its roots, it may need to start with the foundation — the ground beneath our feet.