Introduction : Peri-urban settlements in Iran often occupy liminal spaces between urban cores and rural peripheries, characterized by infrastructural deprivation, fragmented governance, and limited citizen participation. As the challenges of spatial injustice and informal urbanization persist, digital innovations such as the Metaverse and Digital Twins offer transformative possibilities. These technologies can potentially enable participatory spatial planning, socio-spatial representation, and localized empowerment. However, in the Iranian context, theoretical and applied studies addressing this nexus remain scarce. This research aims to formulate a conceptual framework that illustrates how Metaverse-based platforms can empower peri-urban communities in Iran.

Methodology : This study employed a qualitative, theory-driven research design grounded in inductive content analysis. A sample of 20 academic sources (2015–2025) was systematically reviewed using open and axial coding. Key conceptual codes were categorized, and a five-dimensional analytical framework was derived. The theoretical underpinnings included Sen’s capabilities approach, Srnicek’s platform capitalism, digital governance, and fluid urban peripherality. In addition, comparative secondary case studies from Seoul, Barcelona, and Singapore were analyzed to demonstrate real-world applications of Metaverse platforms in participatory planning.

Results and discussion :The qualitative synthesis yielded five central thematic axes:

1- Participatory Empowerment and Spatial Justice: The Metaverse facilitates inclusive engagement, promotes digital equity, and strengthens local social capital.

2- Spatial Regeneration via Digital Twins: Immersive 3D modeling enables participatory redesign and spatial visualization of marginalized areas.

3- Platform Governance and Data-Driven Policy: Smart platforms enable decentralized urban decision-making, real-time data analytics, and citizen co-production of services.

4- Smart Infrastructure for Digital Resilience: Integration of IoT, AI, and Big Data technologies enhances the resilience and efficiency of urban systems.

5- Localized Technology and Institutional Capacity: Implementing Metaverse tools requires attention to legal frameworks, cultural adaptation, and multi-level institutional coordination.

The analysis of global case studies showed how cities like Seoul and Barcelona have used Metaverse interfaces to democratize planning processes and reduce spatial exclusion through participatory tools.

Conclusion : The study concludes that the Metaverse should not be viewed merely as a technological novelty, but rather as a socio-spatial infrastructure capable of reconfiguring participation, justice, and empowerment in urban development. In the Iranian context, realizing this potential requires overcoming infrastructural limitations, economic inequalities, and fragmented institutional systems. The proposed conceptual model offers an integrated vision for enabling digitally driven, participatory empowerment in peri-urban settlements.

Introduction : Peri-urban settlements in Iran often occupy liminal spaces between urban cores and rural peripheries, characterized by infrastructural deprivation, fragmented governance, and limited citizen participation. As the challenges of spatial injustice and informal urbanization persist, digital innovations such as the Metaverse and Digital Twins offer transformative possibilities. These technologies can potentially enable participatory spatial planning, socio-spatial representation, and localized empowerment. However, in the Iranian context, theoretical and applied studies addressing this nexus remain scarce. This research aims to formulate a conceptual framework that illustrates how Metaverse-based platforms can empower peri-urban communities in Iran.

Methodology : This study employed a qualitative, theory-driven research design grounded in inductive content analysis. A sample of 20 academic sources (2015–2025) was systematically reviewed using open and axial coding. Key conceptual codes were categorized, and a five-dimensional analytical framework was derived. The theoretical underpinnings included Sen’s capabilities approach, Srnicek’s platform capitalism, digital governance, and fluid urban peripherality. In addition, comparative secondary case studies from Seoul, Barcelona, and Singapore were analyzed to demonstrate real-world applications of Metaverse platforms in participatory planning.

Results and discussion :The qualitative synthesis yielded five central thematic axes:

1- Participatory Empowerment and Spatial Justice: The Metaverse facilitates inclusive engagement, promotes digital equity, and strengthens local social capital.

2- Spatial Regeneration via Digital Twins: Immersive 3D modeling enables participatory redesign and spatial visualization of marginalized areas.

3- Platform Governance and Data-Driven Policy: Smart platforms enable decentralized urban decision-making, real-time data analytics, and citizen co-production of services.

4- Smart Infrastructure for Digital Resilience: Integration of IoT, AI, and Big Data technologies enhances the resilience and efficiency of urban systems.

5- Localized Technology and Institutional Capacity: Implementing Metaverse tools requires attention to legal frameworks, cultural adaptation, and multi-level institutional coordination.

The analysis of global case studies showed how cities like Seoul and Barcelona have used Metaverse interfaces to democratize planning processes and reduce spatial exclusion through participatory tools.

Conclusion : The study concludes that the Metaverse should not be viewed merely as a technological novelty, but rather as a socio-spatial infrastructure capable of reconfiguring participation, justice, and empowerment in urban development. In the Iranian context, realizing this potential requires overcoming infrastructural limitations, economic inequalities, and fragmented institutional systems. The proposed conceptual model offers an integrated vision for enabling digitally driven, participatory empowerment in peri-urban settlements.