Rohollah Madahizadeh - Ph.D Candidate, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), Tehran, Iran.
Mehrdad Mostafazadeh - Assistant Professor, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), Tehran, Iran.
Shobyr Ashkpour-Motlagh - Assistant Professor, Department of physics, Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran.

In this paper seismic strain andGutenberg-Richter b-value are used to quantify seismic potential in the Zagros region(Southwest Iran). Seismicity data of the Zagros are extracted from International Seismological Center and Iranian Seismological Center bulletins in timeinterval ۱۹۶۳ to ۲۰۱۵. The b-values are estimated using Kijko-Sellevoll method. The results represent that b-value varies from ۰.۶۲ to۰.۷۲in the study region.Low b-values (۰.۶۲ and ۰.۷۲) are accompanied with higher strain rates (۱.۲۲×۱۰-۸ and ۷.۴۶×۱۰-۹) in southern parts of the Zagros indicating more frequent large earthquakes. On the other hand, Low b-values (۰.۶۴ and ۰.۷۲) and lower strain rates (۲.۳۹×۱۰-۹ and ۸.۵۴×۱۰-۱۰) in northern parts of the Zagros indicate less frequent large earthquakes. Recurrence interval of large earthquakes(M>۶) is estimated using the b-values and seismic strain rates.Recurrence interval of large earthquakes in southern parts of the Zagros (۷ and ۸ years) are shorter than northern parts of the Zagros (۱۹ and ۴۵ years).

Seismic strain, Moment Tensor, Zagros, b-value, Recurrence interval