A review of the free zone situations in scientific theories and development documents (Case Study: Aras Free Zone)

In general terms, free zone areas are considered as export gateways and development purpose, as well as the entry point for investors as a result of having some situational privileges and some special incentive laws. These areas around the world have been developed over a relatively long period of time and have been able to play a role as a tool in the service of countries' economies. These zones include different types, one of which is free commercial-industrial zones. In this research, the scientific theories supporting the creation and activity of free zones, such as international trade theories and the place of these zones in Iran's legal and development documents, have been reviewed. In the following, the history of the emergence and growth of these regions in the world and subsequently in Iran is presented and discussed. Finally, the performance of these areas has been investigated based on the results of studies and investigations, as well as the reasons for this lack of success, with an emphasis on Aras Free Zone. The method of this research is descriptive-analytical and library documents are used. The research results show that Aras Free Zone has a high potential in attracting domestic and foreign investments due to its special geographical location.