Development projects worth $14.7b inaugurated in free trade, special economic zones

TEHRAN – Some 52 development projects worth 620 trillion rials (over $14.7 billion) were put into operation or commenced in Iran’s free trade and special economic zones on Monday, in the 74th series of inauguration ceremonies since the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20).

President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the mentioned projects through video conferencing in various provinces including East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Khuzestan, Hormozgan, Gilan, and Sistan-Baluchestan, Mehr News Agency reported.

Put into operation in Kish, Qeshm, Arvand, Aras, and Anzali free trade and special economic zones, the said projects are going to provide direct employment for about 2,090 people.

As reported by IRNA, in this series of inaugurations 15 production and development projects with a total investment of 26.19 trillion rials (about $623 million) were put into operation in the Aras Free Trade Zone which will create jobs for 575 people, while 11 infrastructure projects worth 2.25 trillion rials (about $53.57 million) were inaugurated in Arvand Free Zone, which will provide employment for 260 people directly.

Also, 15 projects were put into operation in Qeshm Free Trade Zone, the investment value of which is 24.80 trillion rials (about $590 million) and will create jobs for 880 people. In Kish Free Zone, nine projects worth 26.89 trillion rials (about $640 million) were inaugurated which create job opportunities for 375 people.

The president also ordered the beginning of several development projects with a total investment of 420 trillion rials ($10 billion). These projects are going to create jobs for 7,117 people when put into operation.

One of the most important projects that were inaugurated on Monday in the Arvand Free Trade Zone, was the Shalamcheh-Basra railway.

Shalamcheh-Basra railway route which connects the southwestern Iranian city of Shalamcheh to Basra in Iraq is 32 kilometers long along which a 700-meter bridge is also constructed.

According to the Secretary of Iranian Free Zones High Council Hamidreza Mo’meni, currently, 621 development projects are being implemented in free trade and special economic zones, which have average physical progress of 50 percent.

EF/MA