WANA (Aug 25) – A video circulated on social media this week appeared to show smoke—or even lava—rising from the crater of Mount Damavand, Iran’s tallest peak. The images stirred public concern that the so-called “White Demon,” a legendary figure in Persian mythology associated with the mountain, might have awakened.

 

Mount Damavand, at about 5,610 meters (18,400 feet), is not only Iran’s highest mountain but also the tallest volcano in the Middle East. Located less than 70 kilometers (43 miles) northeast of Tehran, a metropolis of more than 10 million people, any sign of volcanic activity naturally draws significant attention.

 

Yet seismologists and local officials have firmly dismissed speculation of an imminent eruption.

A video shows smoke—or even lava—rising from the crater of Mount Damavand. Social Media / WANA News Agency

Ali Beitollahi, head of the Seismology and Risk Department at Iran’s Road, Housing and Urban Development Research Center, explained: “If Damavand were entering an active phase, we would see a series of small, frequent earthquakes in the area. Current data show no such pattern.” He noted that Damavand is considered a semi-active volcano—unlike the extinct Sahand and Sabalan—but there is no evidence of magma movement or eruption.

 

According to Beitollahi, the most likely explanation for the viral footage is seasonal melting of the mountain’s glaciers. Meltwater seeps into deep rock layers, becomes heated, and escapes as steam through fissures. Because of the mountain’s cone shape, this vapor can appear like a plume rising from the summit.

 

Hosseinali Mohammadi, head of crisis management in Mazandaran province, also confirmed: “There is no evidence of lava or eruption. What we are seeing is natural steam or gas emissions.”

A photo appears to show smoke—or even lava—rising from the crater of Mount Damavand. Social Media / WANA News Agency

A photo appears to show smoke—or even lava—rising from the crater of Mount Damavand. Social Media / WANA News Agency

Lawmakers echoed that assessment. Mostafa Pordehghan, a member of Iran’s parliamentary committee on agriculture and environment, described the incident as “media sensationalism” and announced that a scientific review session with researchers will be held next week.

 

Seismologist Mehdi Zare, a professor at the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, added: “If Damavand were to erupt, it would be explosive. It cannot happen silently or go unnoticed.” He said phenomena such as hot springs or muddy floods in the surrounding area are signs of geothermal activity, not volcanic eruption.

 

Beyond geology, Damavand also carries deep cultural symbolism in Iran. In the epic poem Shahnameh, it is tied to the defeat of the “White Demon,” and to this day it stands as a national symbol in Iranian identity. For now, though, scientists stress that no evidence suggests the volcano is on the verge of an eruption.