Rapid urbanization in metropolitan areas, coupled with the increasing scarcity of urban land, has made high-rise development one of the principal strategies for sustainable urban spatial expansion. However, inappropriate site selection for high-rise buildings may result in significant economic, environmental, and safety-related consequences. This study aims to identify areas with the highest potential for high-rise building development in Ahvaz, Iran, using an integrated framework. Nine key criteria were considered in the analysis, including land price, road network accessibility, distance from active faults, geological formation sensitivity, population density, land slope, wind direction and speed, distance from rivers and waterways, and buffer zones of historical heritage sites. The results of the Shannon entropy weighting indicated that distance from active faults, population density, and land price were the most influential criteria in the site-selection process. The integrated GIS–WLC model further identified 18 areas with potential suitability for high-rise development by applying a suitability index threshold greater than 0.70 and a minimum area requirement of 800 m². These areas comprise six polygons in District 3, four in District 4, three in District 6, and five in District 8 of Ahvaz Municipality. The findings indicate that these locations provide more favorable conditions for high-rise development with respect to the selected geological, environmental, infrastructural, and socio-economic criteria. Nevertheless, the identified areas should be interpreted as the outcome of an initial spatial screening process rather than definitive construction sites. Final site selection should be supported by complementary investigations, including geotechnical assessments, urban infrastructure capacity analysis, traffic impact studies, and detailed engineering feasibility evaluations. Overall, the proposed framework can serve as an effective spatial decision-support tool for urban planners and decision-makers in the preliminary identification of suitable areas for high-rise development and strategic urban growth management.