A CRITIQUE OF THE PREVAILING COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PARADIGM IN IRAN: THE NEED FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING

The comprehensive urban planning model has been used in Iran for 50 years. It was developed in Europe and North America and has been subject to much criticism and subsequently replaced by new more efficient models such as strategic planning. However, in Third World countries generally, and in Iran in particular, it has remained the hegemonic discourse in urban development. This article assesses comprehensive urban planning in Iranian cities from both theoretical and practical viewpoints. The study concludes that the Comprehensive Planning paradigm has failed to resolve urban development dilemmas in Iranian cities and emphasizes the need for strategic planning.