Located in the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, Iran is a seismic country.
Seismic hazard in Iran, consequently, has been the subject of many debates both
among scientific communities and societies. With a more than 75 million
population in 2011 (Fig. 1), most which live in cities close to seismic zones (Fig. 2
and Fig. 3), careful study of Iranian seismic hazard is of utmost importance.According to official and unofficial records, over the past 35 years, more
than 100,000 people have lost their lives as a result of earthquakes in Iran. A
comparison between this number and other loss figures in Iran, along with
responsible, scientific considerations on the seismic hazard in the country can
lead to a valuable, realistic insight about the level of seriousness of the issue.