Urban Planner Detained or Missing In Iran

Iran reports that it has "no exact report" about Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American urban planning professor and consultant who was detained around May 11 and is now missing.

1 minute read

May 30, 2007, 1:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


According to various sources, Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh was arrested at his home in Tehran by the Iranian security services on May 11th, and has been detained in the notorious Evin prison since then. Kian has not seen a lawyer and has not been permitted visitors.

From The New York Times:

"The consultant, Kian Tajbakhsh, 45, is an urban planning expert who has also worked for the World Bank and is a senior research fellow at the New School in New York."

From the Associated Press:

"Kian Tajbakhsh, an urban planning consultant who has also worked for the World Bank, was detained around May 11, according to George Soros' Open Society Institute. The group is a private foundation that encourages democracy-building in countries around the world."

"The Open Society Institute has said that Tajbakhsh had been consulting 'to facilitate public health, humanitarian assistance and urban planning projects that we undertook openly and with the knowledge of the Iranian government.' The institute said it was concerned for his safety and called for his immediate release."

A website, Free Kian has been setup to post updates on his status.

Thanks to Alex Schwartzz

Sunday, May 27, 2007 in San Diego Union Tribute / Associated Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight