TEHRAN- Diversifying entry points for goods and expanding alternative corridors is the first step towards neutralizing the economic siege and pressure on the main arteries of the national economy. Free zones, by utilizing legal exemptions, play a vital role in this regard, according to an article published by IRNA on Sunday.
The article reads:
“During the unjust aggression of the American and Zionist enemy against the country and the turning of a golden page in national resilience, the trade-industrial free zones and special economic zones of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to their conventional functions in economic development and facilitating production and commercial exchanges, are playing a historical role as strong bastions of a “resistance economy” and the front lines of the economic warfront.
Today, when the ill-wishers of this land have targeted the nation’s existence by imposing a comprehensive war in military and economic dimensions, these zones have become symbols of “resilience” and “continuity of service.”
By the graces of God Almighty, strategic intelligence, and a specialized approach to crisis prediction, management, and passive defense within the Secretariat and the Free Zones Organization, conditions have been provided for these functions to transform, through an intelligent change in nature, into tools for “survival and dynamism.”
Diversifying entry points for goods and expanding alternative corridors is the first step towards neutralizing the economic siege and pressure on the main arteries of the national economy.
In this regard, free zones, by utilizing legal exemptions and streamlined customs procedures, play a vital role in “reducing transaction costs” and “accelerating the supply chain.”
Iran, possessing free zones in the north, south, east, and west, enjoys a unique geoeconomic advantage. From the Makran coasts in Chabahar to Aras and Anzali, which serve as a communication bridge with Eurasia; each of these points is a strategic node in the global trade network that does not cease its service process simply due to aerial military attacks or indiscriminate bombing.
The capacities of the Free Zones Organizations and the Secretariat of the High Council, with a cross-sectoral view, have provided coordination among governing institutions to turn these geographical advantages into economic opportunities. This geography is a shield that protects our strategic depth against imposed shocks.
Reports received from the free zones on the four sides of the country indicate an indomitable spirit within their managerial and executive bodies.
Despite continued missile and aerial attacks on vital infrastructure, especially in the southern regions, and the imposition of serious damages in some areas, the service delivery process has not stopped for a moment.
The security committees and supply councils of the zones are active around the clock, providing comprehensive support for the stability and calm of the people. Crisis management in these zones, by prioritizing damage compensation and rapid reconstruction of vital infrastructure, has conveyed a clear message to the enemy: “Destruction will not stand in the way of construction.”
In the area of supplying essential goods, the free zones have entered the field with full seriousness. The clearance of stranded goods and online monitoring of the import process have provided the necessary assurance for the people’s livelihoods.
Accelerating the clearance of essential goods, holding continuous meetings with traders, offering exceptional incentives for importing essential goods, instantly aligning the annual budgets of the zones with the urgent needs of the crisis situation, and finally, managing the movement and accommodation of passengers and tourists in high-risk areas such as Kish and Qesh have been carried out meticulously and without creating social tension. This itself demonstrates the operational mastery of the Free Zones Organizations.
What is happening today in the trade-industrial free zones of Iran, in addition to intelligent crisis management, is a “manifestation of the nation’s will” to overcome difficult historical passages. The special functions of these zones during wartime, including streamlining the customs system and protecting production infrastructure, have shown that the enemy has made a strategic error in its calculations to overcome the great nation of Iran by paralyzing the national economy.
The Secretariat of the High Council and the Free Zones Organizations, with sincere and round-the-clock commitment, are removing all obstacles from the path of economic actors to ensure that no disruption occurs in meeting the people’s needs.
These silent efforts, alongside the sacrifice of the powerful armed forces, herald a great victory in which “economic sustainability” will be our final response to any aggression.
We believe that what will prevail is not the tools of war, but the firm will of the nation’s servants in the trenches of service and struggle.”
The establishment of free trade zones (FTZs) in Iran dates back to the Iranian calendar year 1368 (March 1989 – March 1990) following the fall in the country’s oil income in the preceding year which prompted the government to promote non-oil exports.
The first two free trade zones of Iran were established in the south of the country. The first one was Kish Free Trade Zone established in 1368 on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf and the second one was Qeshm Free Trade Zone established the year after on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Some five other free trade zones have been also established in the country since then, including Chabahar in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Arvand in southwestern Khuzestan Province, Anzali in northern Gilan Province, Aras in East-Azarbaijan Province and Maku in West-Azarbaijan Province, both in the northwest of the country.
The development of existing free trade zones and the establishment of new FTZs has become one of the major economic approaches of the Iranian government.
MA
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