The idea of relocating the capital in Iran has predominantly been raised in response to population density, pressure on ecological capacities, and the expansion of Tehran's multidimensional problems; however, an analytical examination of this subject indicates that relocating the capital is an ineffective, highly costly, and long-term solution that, without reforming the roots of centralization, will be incapable of resolving Tehran's issues. The primary roots of Tehran's crisis are identified in the country's structural centralization, a physical and quantitative approach to the city, and the failure to execute macro-spatial plans and policies; such that Tehran has transformed into the political, administrative, economic, and cultural center, and population absorption beyond its environmental capacity has intensified problems such as pollution, traffic, physical degradation, and earthquake risks. Analyses show that even with the relocation of the political-administrative center, only a small fraction of the population would move, and there is a probability of reproducing the problems in the new location. Furthermore, relocating the capital, by ignoring the city's social, cultural, and identity capitals, can lead to the formation of settlements with novel crises. Consequently, the alternative strategy emphasizes real decentralization in the decision-making system, the strengthening of local governance, the implementation of regional planning based on territorial spatial organization, the gradual transfer of functions and activities, and the prevention of population-increasing developments in Tehran.