TEHRAN--Maryam Jalali Dehkordi, who serves as Iran’s deputy minister for handicrafts, has emphasized the strategic situation of Anzali Free Zone in Gilan province.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 7th Export Potential Exhibition of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was held in Tehran from April 28 to May 2, she gave news about the Tourism Ministry’s programs for turning Anzali Free Zone into a handicrafts export hub for exports to Caspian Sea littoral states, IRIB reported. 

On Anzali’s trade potentials, she said Anzali can turn into a smaller version of Iran, a space where foreign tourists and merchants can become familiar with Iran’s cultural diversity and enjoy its free zone infrastructures.

She called for establishing specialized handicrafts custom administration, standardizing the products, and improving the business knowledge of artisans as the most important priorities of the region.

Jalali called preserving the indigenous identity of global handicrafts villages as a necessity. She also said Anzali handicrafts campus should be a cultural representative of all provinces, a live fair of Iranian art and identity. 

She said Handicrafts Export Promotion Company will be established with a public joint stock structure and enter the capital market. 

This company can play a key role in attracting the investors and turn Anzali into one of the major hubs of handicrafts exports, she added. 

Jalali said Anzali free zone has a huge capacity for materializing economic diplomacy on the basis of culture given its proximity to the main markets such as Russia. 

Also, Mostafa Ta’ati-Moqaddam, managing director of Anzali Free Zone Organization, said the largest Anzali handicrafts campus will be established in Anzali. 

This complex with focus on basket-weaving which is produced in Fashtakeh village with participation of 1,800 artisans, will be inaugurated by the end of current Iranian year. This complex will be a venue for training, producing, showcasing and exporting the handicrafts, he added.

He also announced the launch of Antonov 26 cargo flights between Rasht and one of the Russian provinces. These flights have been planned with capacity of transferring six tons of handicrafts to target markets in Caspian Sea littoral states every two weeks, he concluded.

Establishment of free trade zones (FTZs) in Iran dates back to Iranian calendar year 1368 (March 1989 - March 1990) following the fall in the country’s oil income in the preceding year which prompted the government to promote the non-oil exports.

The first two free trade zones of Iran were established in the south of country. The first one was Kish Free Trade Zone established in 1368 on Kish Island in the Persian Gulf and the second one was Qeshm Free Trade Zone established the year after on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Some five other free trade zones have been also established in the country since then, including Chabahar in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province, Arvand in southwestern Khuzestan Province, Anzali in northern Gilan Province, Aras in East-Azarbaijan Province and Maku in West-Azarbaijan Province, both in the northwest of the country. 

Development of existing free trade zones and establishment of new FTZs has become one of the major economic approaches of Iranian government.

KD