Zagros Mountains

4.A recent study has found that a sinking oceanic slab beneath the Zagros Mountains in northern Iraq is pulling the region downward.

• The Neotethys oceanic slab, which formed over 66 million years ago, is splitting and sinking into the Earth's mantle, influencing the region's topography.
• About: The Zagros Mountains are a major mountain range extending from southeastern Turkey to northwestern Iran, with parts in northern Iraq.
• The sinking of the region is due to plate tectonics, specifically a growing tear in the Neotethys oceanic slab between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. The process is extremely slow and occurs over millions of years.
• The depression surrounding the Zagros Mountains is deeper than expected, suggesting a significant impact of tectonic plate interactions.

• By studying rock records, sediments, and deep-earth imaging, researchers confirmed the sinking of the Neotethys slab, which is gradually pulling northern Iraq downward.