Science & Technology

A volcano in Iran has come back to life after 700,000 years

By T.K. Randall
October 17, 2025 ·  6 comments

Image: Taftan Volcano
Credit: Amirhossein Nikroo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (adapted) You would think that after a volcano has been extinct for hundreds of thousands of years, there would be practically no chance that it would ever erupt again, especially since a volcano is generally considered extinct if it hasn't erupted in the last 11,700 years.

Sometimes, however, volcanoes can surprise us - as evidenced recently by renewed activity centering on Taftan volcano in Iran which had been extinct for over 700,000 years.

According to research published back on October 7th, the ground near the summit has risen by over 3.5 inches within a ten-month period, indicating a build-up of gas pressure beneath the ground.The news comes as something of a surprise as the volcano, which measures 12,927ft in height, had been studied as recently as 2020 and there had been no sign of it doing anything at the time.

While the volcano is not likely to see an imminent eruption, it's got to happen eventually.

"This study doesn't aim to produce panic in the people," said study author and volcanologist Pablo Gonzalez.

"It's a wake-up call to the authorities in the region in Iran to designate some resources to look at this."

Source: Live Science | Comments (6)

Tags: Volcano