According to the news released by human rights group (HERANA), Tehran municipality has cut down a vast number of old trees that were planted 70 years ago along the longest street in the Middle East. These trees had contributed to the beauty and attraction of this long and straight way connecting the mountainous north of the Iranian capital to the central rail station in the south.

The street and its trees were a creation of Reza Shah Pahlavi and were originally named after him. The Islamic Revolution of 1978 brought a host of new names to the Iranian avenues and streets and Pahlavi Street was renamed as Vali-e-Asr.
The motivation behind this devastating action is not yet clear but a theory suggests that the innocent trees were in the sight line of numerous cameras that the anti-riot police has planted all over the city, especially in crowded and busy locations such some parts this old roadway.