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FreeZones Single Window

A note from the secretary of supreme council of the free zones

" The Free Zones of Iran, as one of the important tools of development, play an important role in the prosperity of the national economy. These Zones have been established with the aim of improving comprehensive social welfare and competition in global markets and they need convergence and integration to be gain optimal effectiveness.

The use of information technology with the aim of facilitating, accelerating and transparency in service delivery is one of the vital tools of this convergence and integration of service delivery, which has been reflected in the Supreme Council of Free Zones and on the website of this institution.

The geographical location of the Free and Special Zones, the existence of trade facilitation laws such as the rapid and low clearance of imported and exported goods, as well as the rapid processing of investment applications - with the help of integrated technology in service delivery - turn these Zones into strategic zones to accelerate international trade and economic prosperity. Investors, who are the main audience for services in the Zones, are looking for security, fast communication, facilities, a single service window and a strong communication link. In order to attract more and optimal domestic and foreign investment, we are trying to intelligently meet those needs.

                                                                                                                       Morteza Bank        

advisor to the president and secretary of council

Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones

Different Investment Opportunities

The Supreme Council of the Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones

The Organization of Free Trade-Industrial Zones has been established for provision of public services to people and investors through carrying out infrastructural, developmental and economic growth and development, investment and increase in public income, creation of healthy and productive employment, regulation of the labor market and commodities, an active presence in global and regional markets, production and export of industrial and converted goods.

Accordingly, the Supreme Council of Free Trade-Industrial and Special Economic Zones was established in 2017 with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers and with the aim of coordination between the Organization of Trade-Industrial and the Special Economic Zones.

Due to the importance of the Supreme Council's areas of activity, it is accompanied by various members from different parts of the government; President (as Chairman of the Council), Ministers of Economic Affairs and Finance, Industry, Mines and Trade, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Petroleum, Cooperation, Labor and Social Welfare, Islamic Culture and Guidance, Roads and Urban Development, Justice and Jihad Agriculture, Deputy President for Strategic Planning and Supervision, Chairman of the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Chairman of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Chairman of the Environmental Protection Organization and Secretary of the Supreme Council.

Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Free and Special Economic Zones

With the presence of its Secretariat, the Supreme Council gains executive and staff power. The Secretariat of the Council has a decisive role in establishing coordination between the Free Zones Organization with the governmental, public and non-governmental bodies, and it has two important and effective tasks of supervising the affairs of the Free and Special Zones as well as implementing the decisions of the Supreme Council. In other words, the Secretariat acts as the discerning eye and the executive power of the Council through its five deputies: Economic, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Planning, Cultural, Social and Tourism, and the Deputy for Management Development.

Free Zones

A Free Zone is a protected area, the boundaries of which are determined by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (the Parliament) and are exempted from certain current laws and regulations of the mainland. The Free Zones are governed by their own rules, which have been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. Tax exemptions, exemption from bank interest and customs duties, lack of administrative and foreign exchange formalities, as well as ease of export and import processes which ultimately lead to the attraction of foreign capital are the most important features of the Zones.

Free Trade-Industrial Zones are under the supervision of the Free Trade-Industrial Zones Organization and the powers of the decision-making organizations in the mainland are delegated to this organization in the Zones.

Following the approval of the first social, economic and cultural development plan of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the agreement of the Parliament on the basis of Note 19 of this Plan, the three Free Trade-Industrial Zones of Kish, Qeshm and Chabahar commenced their activities respectively in 1989, 1990 and 1991. The law on establishment and managing of the Zones was adopted by the Parliament in September 1993, and over time other zones joined the collection of the Free Zones. Arvand, Aras, Maku, Bandar Anzali and Imam Khomeini Airport Free Trade-Industrial Zones have been included in the list of Free Zones during the past years.

 

Special Economic Zones of Iran

According to the text of the law, a Special Economic Zone is defined as follows: "A specific geographical boundary in which the customs laws of the country are not enforced; and is established with the purpose of facilitating the import and export of goods, and supporting  domestic industries as well as attracting new technologies for production and regional development activities at the customs entries/exits and border points of the country, is called a Special Trade-Industrial Zones."

Also, in paragraph "d" of Note 25 of the Law on the Second Five-Year Plan for Economic, Social and Cultural Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, adopted in 1993, stipulates:

"To support domestic production and development of non-oil exports and to mobilize the regional economy, the government may establish special protected zones at entry points or domestic customs. The importation of goods from the mentioned zones, for domestic consumption, shall be subject to export and import regulations, and the export of goods from these zones shall be done without any formalities.

Since the First and the Second Development Plans refer to the Zones as "customs protected areas", the Supreme Council chose the title of "Special Economic Zone", in 1995, for these Zones, to clarify ambiguities.

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