Mesozoic to Eocene ductile deformation of western Central Iran: From Cimmerian collisional orogeny to Eocene exhumation

Role of the Allahyarlu ophiolite in the tectonic evolution of NW Iran and adjacent areas (Late Carboniferous — Recent)

“…The rifting and opening of the South Caspian-Black Sea Basin, which opened in the Middle Jurassic, continued in the Late Jurassic (Berberian 1983;Bazhenov et al 1996;Brunet et al 2003;Nikishin et al 2003;Hinds et al 2004;Kazmin and Tikhonova 2006). The Neotethys 2 basin became wider; the Neotethys 1 basin subduction continued, making it narrower (Glennie 1992;Alavi 1994;Sengör and Natal'in 1996;Golonka 2004;Shahabpour 2005;Sheikholeslami et al 2008;Arfania and Shahriari 2009;Glennie et al 2011;Kargaranbafghi et al 2012).…”

“…The Sevan-Akera Basin closed and only a continental and shallow-water basin remained Kazmin and Tikhonova 2006;Galoyan et al 2009;Rolland et al 2009Rolland et al , 2011. Subduction of the Neotethys 1 oceanic crust continued and spreading of Neotethys 2 continued (Glennie 1992;Alavi 1994;Sengör and Natal'in 1996;Golonka 2004;Shahabpour 2005;Sheikholeslami et al 2008;Arfania and Shahriari 2009;Kargaranbafghi et al 2012).…”

“…Owing to the pressure from the Arabian Block and continuation of Neotethys spreading, the Allahyarlu-Kaleybar-Northern Iran Basin began northward subduction. Therefore the northern margin of this basin changed to an active continental margin (Alavi 1991a; Natalin and Sengör 2005;Sheikholeslami and Kouhpeyma 2012), while the main Neotethys Basin was spreading (Glennie 1992;Alavi 1994;Golonka 2004;Shahabpour 2005;Sheikholeslami et al 2008;Arfania and Shahriari 2009;Kargaranbafghi et al 2012).…”

“…The Armenian Basin, as a Neotethyan back-arc basin, was an active Andean-type margin during the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Kazmin and Tikhonova 2006;Galoyan et al 2009;Rolland et al 2009;Sosson et al 2010;Rolland et al 2011). A tensional basin was formed between the Sanandaj-Sirjan and the Central Iran zones, which later created Neotethys II (Glennie 1992;Alavi 1994;Sengör and Natal'in 1996;Golonka 2004;Shahabpour 2005;Sheikholeslami et al 2008;Arfania and Shahriari 2009;Glennie et al 2011;Kargaranbafghi et al 2012). Glennie (1992) called the main Neotethys basin Neotethys 1 and the basin between the Sanandaj-Sirjan and the Central Iran zones Neotethys 2.…”

“…Therefore the tectonic regime between the Central Iran Plate and the Sanandaj-Sirjan Plate (Neotethys 2) changed from a passive to an active convergent environment. Ophiolites between the Arabian and the Sanandaj-Sirjan Plates (Neotethys 1) were emplaced and only a shallow-water basin remained of Neotethys 1 (Glennie 1992;Alavi 1994;Sengör and Natal'in 1996;Ghebreab 1998;Golonka 2004;Shahabpour 2005;Sheikholeslami et al 2008;Arfania and Shahriari 2009;Kargaranbafghi et al 2012). …”