Kharvana‒Zonouz Active Fault System: An Evidence of Transpressional Tectonic Regime, North-West of Iran

The Kharvana‒Zonouz Fault system with general NW‒SE trending right-lateral folds and strike-slip and reverse faults is located in NW Iran. This fault system could be considered as the southeastern continuation of the Nakhichevan‒Sardarapat Fault system in Azerbaijan toward NW Iran. Toward SE, the Kharvana‒Zonouz Fault system reaches to the active Qoshadagh Fault. The major faults in the Kharvana‒Zonouz Fault system from north to south are Kharvana Fault with dextral strike-slip movement, Estarkhan‒Komar Fault with reverse movement, Nahand Fault with dextral strike-slip and reverse movements and Zonouz Fault with dextral strike-slip movement. Dextral displacement in drainage pattern and occurrence of earthquakes show the activity of the Kharvana‒Zonouz fault system. Strike-slip faults almost parallel to the folds and reverse faults at the same rock formations could be evidence of transpressional tectonic regime within the Kharvana‒Zonouz Fault system.