In this picture taken on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, an aerial view of Tehran is seen from the top of the Milad telecommunication tower, in Tehran, Iran. The Iranian parliament voted Tuesday to consider a proposal to pick another city as the nation's capital, potentially moving the seat of the government from the overcrowded and heavily polluted city of Tehran despite government opposition to the plan. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
December 24, 2013 - 1:15 AM
TEHRAN, Iran - The Iranian parliament is considering a proposal to pick another city as the nation's capital and move the seat of the government from the overcrowded and heavily polluted Tehran.
Iran's official news agency IRNA said Tuesday that if the lawmakers accept the proposal, a council would be set up and spend the next two years studying which alternate location would be best.
There was no indication in the proposal what locations could be considered.
The greater Tehran area has a population of 12 million and suffers from a score of urban problems such as heavy pollution, traffic jams and a high crime rate.
Its residents have tripled in number over the past decade as more and more Iranians moved into the city in search of jobs and a better life.
News from © The Associated Press, 2013