Various and complex human activities in geographical contexts need proper ground if at most efficiency is to be achieved. Land preparation regulates the relationship between human, space, and human activities. Land preparation has various dimensions related to value system, political, scientific, artistic, and defense-security aspects. One of the most important dimensions of land preparation is its defense-security aspect. Defensive-security considerations have not received due attention in preparation plans yet and presentation of plans and strategies for land defense and protection of military installations and vital, sensitive and significant centers and establishments against the military threats and attacks has been neglected. Observance of defensive and security considerations in preparation plans is affected by several variables that should be noticed in such plans. The most important of these variables are geographical location of the given area, type and level of the military and security threats in the region, civil defense strategies and plans appropriate for the particular types of the regional threats. Border provinces of Iran have specific locations, conditions and characteristics and differ politically and spatially from the central provinces; therefore in preparation plans for border provinces, defensive-security considerations proportionate to these features should be developed and implemented. The present paper attempts to explain the importance and position of defense-security considerations in preparation plans for Mashhad.

Key Words: Preparation plans, Defense-security Considerations, Mashhad