Qal'eh Hasan Ali is part of the Urmiah-Dokhtar volcanic arc, specifically its southeastern segment. This volcanic arc extends along the Zagros mountain range and has been interpreted as being caused by subduction of the Neotethys, starting during the Triassic. Volcanism reached a peak during the Eocene. The volcanic succession of the arc reaches thicknesses of in some places and is dominated by calc-alkaline rocks. Another volcanic arc in Iran is found in the Makran area and is formed by the Bazman, Taftan and Koh-i-Sultan volcanoes, the second of which lies in Pakistan. Other young volcanoes in Iran are the Bijar volcanic field, Damavand and Sar'akhor. Activity in the arc diminished starting from 22 million years ago in its Armenian segment and ceased 6 million years ago. At the same time the continent collision between Arabia and Eurasia occurred, starting from the northwest.