"The government aims to turn FTZs into export hubs instead of a center for imports of luxury products," the Iranian president said.
President Rouhani reiterated that free trade and industrial zones should regard production and creation of job opportunities as the main goal of their activities in the current year.
In relevant remarks in July 2015, President Rouhani underlined the important role that the free trade zones can play in the country's economy after implementation of a final agreement between Tehran and the world powers.
"Iran's free trade zones should advance closer to their primary goal of export promotion instead of focusing on imports," President Rouhani said addressing a meeting in Tehran.
The Iranian president called for offering the best necessary trade services in the fields of banking, insurance and transportation by international standards, and said, "Grounds for value-added production by using advanced technologies should be paved."
He called for providing the best banking, insurance and transportation services at the free trade zones.
In April 2014, President Rouhani underlined the importance of free trade zones in increasing the volume of mutual transactions with other countries.
"Certain economic plans, including setting up free trade zones, are suitable for increasing the level of trade transactions with other countries," Rouhani said in Southern Hormuzgan province.
Meantime, he pointed to the role of free trade zones in improving the country's tourism industry, and said, "Health tourism is one of the most important goals of Kish Free Trade Zone."
Iran currently has the six free zones of Kish, Qeshm, Arvand, Chabahar, Aras, Anzali.
Iran is located in the international corridor with the Iranian part of the corridor starting in Chabahar in the south and stretching up to the city of Mashhad.
