New tectonic configuration in NW Iran: Intracontinental dextral shear between NW Iran and SE Anatolia

Abstract The Main Recent Fault (MRF) is a major active strike-slip fault system at the NE border of Arabian platform and Central Iran. Both geometry kinematics rather well known along its central part SE termination, while possible continuation to northwest ambiguous. Moreover, less regard has been paid relationships between this intracontinental other faults in NW Iran – Anatolia. This paper investigates both structural pattern deformation region north latitude 37°N, North Tabriz MRF. We followed goal through detailed mapping, field measurements, fault-slip analyses, complemented by reconstruction cumulative geomorphic offsets main segments. collected data sets have led us propose new tectonic model for corner Arabia collision zone. Our results reveal that dextral shear Arabia-Central Iran, which mainly localized MRF, continues 37°N branch Neotethyan suture penetrating into abruptly dies out 37.5° N joining two NNW-striking normal zones, accommodate translation relative ESE-trending extension. Anatolia affected heterogeneous stress due different processes such as escape, block translation, dynamics these either directly governed Eurasia oblique convergence or indirectly controlled frontal pure