Space is socially produced, and the duality of urban space reflects the multidimensional duality of urban society, posing a major challenge to urban development and spatial justice in metropolitan areas. In Tehran, uneven growth and the concentration of development and urban amenities in specific areas have produced unequal quality of life and a socially stratified urban space. Accordingly, this study examines the spatial manifestations of urban duality in the Tehran metropolis and identifies spatial patterns of inequality across municipal districts. The study adopts a descriptive–analytical approach and covers the 22 municipal districts of Tehran. Data for 45 indicators were obtained from the 2016 National Population and Housing Census and the Statistical Yearbooks of Tehran Municipality (2019–2022). District-level development was evaluated using the CORASO multi-criteria decision-making method, while spatial relationships were analyzed through Moran’s I spatial autocorrelation index. The results reveal a pronounced north–south spatial divide in Tehran. Based on the CORASO scores, northern districts—particularly District 6 (0.25313), District 1 (0.17013), and District 3 (0.12703)—exhibit the highest levels of development, whereas southern districts, especially District 17 (−0.25313), District 10 (−0.23450), and District 18 (−0.22924), are among the least developed. Moran’s I value (0.433510) indicates significant spatial autocorrelation and a clustered spatial pattern, with developed districts forming clusters of prosperity and less developed districts forming clusters of deprivation in southern Tehran. This pattern reflects the historical concentration of resources, services, and investments in northern Tehran and the persistent relative deprivation of its southern districts.
