Iraq is safe from potential earthquake in Iran, experts say

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Meteorological and Seismological Authority has ruled out the possibility of a destructive earthquake following a series of mild tremors in the past few days, which registered a magnitude of up to 3 on the Richter scale in Diyala province.

Ali Abdul Khaliq, Director of the Seismic Monitoring Department, told Shafaq News that "the recent earthquakes are natural occurrences that happen regularly, and the likelihood of strong, destructive quakes occurring in the country is very low."

He added that Iraq experiences daily tremors imperceptible to the public due to the movement of tectonic plates, noting that areas such as Khanqin and Mandali in Diyala province, as well as Badra in Wasit, and Al-Tayyib in northern Maysan, are more prone to seismic activity.

“These regions are seismically active, but this is a normal occurrence and poses no threat to the area,” he explained, adding that tremors from the Iranian side also affect the region, reaching magnitudes of 4 to 4.5.

Khaliq also revealed, “a seismic code is being developed by the Iraqi government, with the Seismological Authority as a member of the committee. The code will be adopted for construction purposes by the end of this year and is the first of its kind in Iraq.”

He urged relevant authorities to ensure that companies and building owners implement this seismic code to safeguard buildings from potential earthquakes. Khaliq reassured Iraqis, stating, “The reports from Iranian authorities about a potential catastrophic earthquake in Iran do not pose a threat to Iraq.”

On Monday, Iran's Crisis Management and Prevention Organization warned of the risk of a "largeearthquake" in Tehran, with the organization’s head, Ali Nasiri, citing the tectonic plates in the northern part of the city as a major risk factor.

Nasiri predicted that the worst-case scenario could involve a 6.7-magnitude earthquake, though he hoped it would never occur.

Iran is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world due to its location on the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt. The country regularly experiences varying degrees of seismic activity, with the most severe recent quake being a 7.7-magnitude tremor in 1990, which killed 37,000 people and injured 100,000 others.