Iran's Free Zones Digital Economy Framework Finalized

Iran has finalized a digital economy framework for its free trade and special economic zones, aimed at positioning them as drivers of technology-led growth and higher productivity, the secretary of the High Council of Free and Special Economic Zones said.

Reza Masrour said the document has been completed within the framework of the seventh-generation transformation plan for free zones and is ready for implementation. He said the strategy is designed to harness digital economy capacities as a core engine of development, investment facilitation and sustainable value creation.

Masrour stressed the need to align the development path of free zones with global economic and technology trends, noting that the digital economy plays a critical role in boosting efficiency, competitiveness and innovation. He said the council’s secretariat prioritized drafting a comprehensive, practical framework tailored to the comparative advantages and business models of Iran’s free zones.

According to Masrour, the document is the result of more than nine months of intensive research, expert consultations and specialized sessions, drawing on academic input from Sharif University of Technology. Titled “Free zones as drivers of the digital economy,” the framework outlines overarching policy approaches, proposed actions and executive measures required to operationalize digital economy projects across the zones.

He said the plan identifies priority areas for digital transformation, including platform-based services, smart logistics, digital trade facilitation, data-driven governance and innovation ecosystems, with the aim of attracting domestic and foreign investment while improving service delivery.

Masrour added that the digital economy framework complements broader reform efforts, noting that two additional policy documents—the “Free zones transformation roadmap” and the “Free zones productivity framework”—are also being finalized by the council’s secretariat.

Together, the three documents are expected to provide an integrated policy architecture to enhance efficiency, improve performance and support sustainable development across Iran’s free trade and special economic zones. - Tehran Times