PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Iran

Iran has catalogued 3,554 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 19th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.7.

Iran ranks 19th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country, averaging about 169 M4+ events a year alongside 102 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1909 to 2022, peaking in 1979.

3,554
M4+ events (since 2005)
102
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.7
Strongest
~169
M4+ per year

The verdict

Iran is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 3,554 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 102 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

1979
busiest year (4 major events)
19 km
average recorded event depth
99%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.4 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder India sits immediately above at 4,086 events and Afghanistan sits immediately below at 3,478.

Where Iran sits in the catalog

Rank 19th of 187 tracked countries (90th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder India sits immediately above at 4,086 events and Afghanistan sits immediately below at 3,478.

  • India - next more active (4,086 M4+)
  • Afghanistan - next less active (3,478 M4+)

Iran's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

3,554 Top 10% higher than 90% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). This entry sits in this band. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). Above this entry. Iran 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Iran compares to its nearest peers

Iran ranks in the 90th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 20 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Iran vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 21 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 02,0004,0006,0008,00010,000 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Iran vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Mexico 8,356 M8.2
Vanuatu 7,572 M7.8
New Zealand 7,523 M8.1
Solomon Islands 6,129 M7.8
China 4,952 M7.9
Greece 4,606 M7.0
Peru 4,598 M8.0
Fiji 4,498 M7.9
Argentina 4,379 M7.0
India 4,086 M7.5
Iran (this page) 3,554 M7.7
Afghanistan 3,478 M7.5
Timor Leste 3,416 M7.3
Taiwan 2,531 M7.4
Turkey 2,249 M7.8
Guatemala 1,951 M7.4
New Caledonia 1,917 M7.5
Colombia 1,721 M7.3
Tajikistan 1,583 M7.2
El Salvador 1,501 M7.3
Nicaragua 1,416 M6.6

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Iran by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Iran's most active year for major earthquakes was 1979 (4 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%0.7%
Share of Iran's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

24 of 3,554 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 102 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Iran.

How the 102 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 89.2%

M7.0-7.9

11

10.8%

M6.0-6.9

91

89.2%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 102 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 19 km.

Iran99%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Iran's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

101

99.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

1

1.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Iran

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.7 79 km ESE of Kh?sh, Iran 80.0 km
7.4 23 km N of P?deg?n-e Manj?l, Iran 18.5 km
7.4 52 km ESE of Tabas, Iran 33.0 km
7.3 58 km E of Q?’en, Iran 10.0 km
7.3 43 km NW of Delījān, Iran 15.0 km
7.1 75 km ESE of Kerman, Iran 33.0 km
7.1 56 km ENE of Q?’en, Iran 10.0 km
7.1 35 km SE of Gonābād, Iran 11.9 km
7.1 10 km SSW of Salm?s, Iran 15.0 km
7.0 95 km ESE of Kh?sh, Iran 64.0 km

Significant earthquake record (102 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Iran since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.0 57 km NE of Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran 9.0 km
6.0 52 km NE of Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran 16.0 km
6.4 63 km NNW of Bandar Abbas, Iran 10.0 km
6.0 62 km NNW of Bandar Abbas, Iran 9.0 km
6.3 15 km SW of Sarpol-e Z?ah?b, Iran 18.0 km
6.0 32 km SW of Jav?nr?d, Iran 10.0 km
6.0 63 km NNE of Kerman, Iran 8.0 km
6.0 53 km NNE of Kerman, Iran 12.0 km
6.1 55 km NNE of Kerman, Iran 9.0 km
6.1 61 km NNW of Torbat-e J?m, Iran 13.0 km
6.0 42 km ESE of Dehlor?n, Iran 5.0 km
6.2 40 km E of Dehlor?n, Iran 10.2 km
6.1 92 km SE of M?n?b, Iran 15.0 km
7.7 79 km ESE of Kh?sh, Iran 80.0 km
6.4 95 km SE of Bushehr, Iran 12.0 km
6.2 30 km WSW of Ahar, Iran 12.0 km
6.4 26 km SW of Ahar, Iran 11.0 km
6.2 119 km SSE of Bam, Iran 10.0 km
6.7 111 km SE of Bam, Iran 12.0 km
6.1 49 km WSW of Qeshm, Iran 12.0 km
6.1 18 km SW of Azn?, Iran 7.0 km
6.0 111 km NNW of M?n?b, Iran 18.0 km
6.0 119 km E of Iranshahr, Iran 54.0 km
6.4 24 km ESE of Zarand, Iran 14.0 km
6.3 41 km SSE of Nowshahr, Iran 17.0 km
6.6 13 km SSW of Bam, Iran 10.0 km
6.5 59 km SSW of Abhar, Iran 10.0 km
6.2 25 km ESE of K?zer?n, Iran 33.0 km
6.6 110 km SSE of K?h Sef?d, Iran 33.0 km
6.6 52 km ESE of Kerman, Iran 9.0 km
7.3 58 km E of Q?’en, Iran 10.0 km
6.1 24 km SSW of Om?dcheh, Iran 10.0 km
6.1 22 km SW of Akbar?b?d, Iran 12.9 km
6.1 91 km W of Z?bol, Iran 9.4 km
6.3 99 km WSW of Z?bol, Iran 9.6 km
6.1 88 km WSW of Z?bol, Iran 6.0 km
6.6 105 km ESE of D?r?b, Iran 10.6 km
7.4 23 km N of P?deg?n-e Manj?l, Iran 18.5 km
6.0 36 km E of Soleh Bon, Iran 24.5 km
6.0 98 km SW of Fann?j, Iran 15.6 km
6.0 24 km SSE of Dogonbadan, Iran 30.5 km
6.1 21 km SE of N?r?b?d, Iran 33.0 km
6.3 21 km SE of Qarn?b?d, Iran 52.9 km
7.0 95 km ESE of Kh?sh, Iran 64.0 km
7.1 75 km ESE of Kerman, Iran 33.0 km
6.7 73 km SE of Kerman, Iran 33.0 km
6.2 29 km NNE of Hashtpar, Iran 46.0 km
6.0 67 km ENE of Q?’en, Iran 31.0 km
7.1 56 km ENE of Q?’en, Iran 10.0 km
6.6 55 km ENE of Q?’en, Iran 33.0 km
6.7 32 km NE of Q?’en, Iran 33.0 km
6.2 39 km NE of Masjed Soleym?n, Iran 33.0 km
6.1 13 km S of Hashtpar, Iran 34.0 km
7.4 52 km ESE of Tabas, Iran 33.0 km
6.2 40 km N of Bandar Abbas, Iran 29.0 km
6.9 48 km NNE of Bandar Abbas, Iran 29.0 km
6.2 8 km NNW of Q?’en, Iran 13.0 km
6.0 45 km WSW of F?r?z?b?d, Iran 24.0 km
6.1 34 km N of Bandar Abbas, Iran 27.0 km
6.6 50 km SSE of Fīrūzābād, Iran 10.4 km
6.0 60 km NW of Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran 17.2 km
6.0 21 km W of Ḩājjīābād, Iran 10.0 km
6.4 52 km NE of Kalāleh, Iran 12.4 km
6.4 93 km NW of Iranshahr, Iran 65.0 km
6.1 76 km SE of Fīrūzābād, Iran 23.1 km
6.2 60 km SW of Gonābād, Iran 10.0 km
7.1 35 km SE of Gonābād, Iran 11.9 km
7.0 47 km SSE of T?kest?n, Iran 15.0 km
6.4 44 km ENE of Ger?sh, Iran 15.0 km
6.7 25 km SSW of Kang?var, Iran 15.0 km
6.5 19 km NE of Hars?n, Iran 15.0 km
6.6 31 km SSE of B?bol, Iran 15.0 km
6.4 43 km SE of Ger?sh, Iran 15.0 km
6.6 104 km SSE of D?mgh?n, Iran 15.0 km
6.3 21 km NNE of Bandar Abbas, Iran 15.0 km
6.1 80 km NW of Bam, Iran 15.0 km
6.0 55 km WSW of Q?’en, Iran 15.0 km
6.9 52 km WSW of Q?’en, Iran 15.0 km
6.1 72 km E of Bandar-e Lengeh, Iran 15.0 km
6.3 43 km WSW of Q?’en, Iran 15.0 km
6.5 57 km SW of Neysh?b?r, Iran 15.0 km
6.0 59 km ENE of Shahrak-e K?l?r?, Iran 15.0 km
6.1 113 km E of Q?’en, Iran 15.0 km
6.4 14 km SE of Behshahr, Iran 15.0 km
6.5 142 km E of Kh?sh, Iran 10.0 km
6.3 9 km WNW of Yasuj, Iran 15.0 km
6.0 81 km ESE of Kerman, Iran 15.0 km
6.2 63 km ENE of B?fq, Iran 10.0 km
6.1 58 km SSW of Bardaskan, Iran 15.0 km
6.2 92 km E of Ger?sh, Iran 15.0 km
6.2 13 km SE of Khowy, Iran 15.0 km
7.1 10 km SSW of Salm?s, Iran 15.0 km
6.0 123 km ENE of Qa?r-e Qand, Iran 15.0 km
6.2 48 km NE of Masjed Soleym?n, Iran 15.0 km
6.4 132 km SSE of Semnan, Iran 10.0 km
6.7 7 km SSE of K?h Sef?d, Iran 15.0 km
6.4 32 km WSW of Esfar?yen, Iran 15.0 km
6.0 34 km NW of Shahrak-e P?bed?n?, Iran 15.0 km
6.2 13 km S of Bardaskan, Iran 15.0 km
6.0 57 km NNW of Kīsh, Iran 15.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 102 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Iran-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

161 M4+ events · strongest M6.8

M6.8

Federated States of Micronesia

59 M4+ events · strongest M6.3

M6.3

Afghanistan

3,478 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Mozambique

59 M4+ events · strongest M5.6

M5.6

Ghana

1 M4+ events · strongest M4.0

M4.0

Mauritius

135 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Iran-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Martinique

83 M4+ events

M7.4

Peru

4,598 M4+ events

M8.0

Tonga

10,847 M4+ events

M7.6

Guatemala

1,951 M4+ events

M7.4

Vanuatu

7,572 M4+ events

M7.8

Philippines

14,262 M4+ events

M7.8

Understand the data

India

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Afghanistan

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Iran? ▼
The USGS catalog records 3,554 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Iran since 2005, an average of about 169 per year. Separately, 102 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Iran? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Iran measured magnitude 7.7. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.4 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Iran? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Iran ranks 19th of 187 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1979, with 4.
How deep are earthquakes in Iran? ▼
Across the 102 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 19 km. 99% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Iran's figures

3,554 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.7 · average M4.4 · 102 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 19, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Iran's numbers mean

Iran ranks 19th of 187 countries tracked - a highly seismically active country.

  • About 169 M4+ earthquakes strike Iran per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1979 was the busiest year on record with 4 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 99% of Iran's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M7.7. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.