Foreign Investment in Iran’s FTZs Rises by 57% to Over $150 Million

A total of $158 million worth of foreign investments have been made in Iran’s free trade and industrial zones during the first nine months of the current Iranian year (March 20-Dec. 20, 2020), according to the deputy secretary of High Council of Trade and Industrial Free and Special Economic Zones.
“In the last fiscal year [March 2019-20], the overall foreign investments in the country stood at $1.5 billion. Iranian FTZs attracted $200 million, amounting to 15% of the total sum,” Ahmad Jamali was also quoted as saying by IRNA. 
Morteza Bank, secretary of the council, says the nine-month foreign investment volume shows a 57% increase compared with the similar period of last year.
According to the top official, foreign investments in Iranian FTZs amounted to $27 million in the fiscal 2013-14, $113 million in 2014-15, $249 million in 2015-16, $349 million in 2016-17, $448 million in 2017-18 and $307 million in 2018-19.
In Iran, free trade zones were first authorized in 1993 in Kish, Qeshm and Chabahar. Later, Aras, Arvand, Maku and Anzali were added to the list of Iranian FTZs.