Highlighting weak investment trends over the past decade, the minister argued that the country’s development must begin in the free trade zones. Incremental growth of 10–20 per cent, he said, would not suffice: “We need a profound transformation.
If economic governance in the free zones is reformed, the model can be extended nationwide.”The minister outlined the main pillars of the reform plan: reinstating full tax exemptions and incentives, assigning specialised roles to each zone (such as turning Kish into a hub for technology and the digital economy), shifting focus from imports to exports, and removing barriers to free trade.
He also announced more than 15 immediate measures, including increasing trade in bag allowances for goods, easing temporary imports and re-exports, and pursuing the creation of joint free zones with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Concluding the session, Madanizadeh invited investors and entrepreneurs to engage closely with the government in implementing these initiatives.