page_title: Foreign direct investment in Iran
section_title: Free trade zones and special economic zones
hierarchical_section_title: Foreign direct investment in Iran / Free trade zones and special economic zones
caption_attribution_description: English: Balance of trade, Iran (2000-2007). Historical data: World Bank.
context_page_description: Foreign direct investment in Iran has been hindered by unfavorable or complex operating requirements and by international sanctions, although in the early 2000s the Iranian government liberalized investment regulations. Iran ranks 62nd in the World Economic Forum's 2011 analysis of the global competitiveness of 142 countries. In 2010, Iran ranked sixth globally in attracting foreign investments.
  Foreign investors have concentrated their activity in a few sectors of the economy: the oil and gas industries, vehicle manufacture, copper mining, petrochemicals, foods, and pharmaceuticals. Iran absorbed US$24.3 billion of foreign investment from 1993 to 2007 and US$34.6 billion for 485 projects from 1992 to 2009.
  Opening Iran's market place to foreign investment could also be a boon to competitive multinational firms operating in a variety of manufacturing and service sectors, worth $600 billion to $800 billion in new investment opportunities over the next decade.
context_section_description: Iran's interest in free zones can be traced back to the 1970s.
caption: Iran's trade balance (2000–2007)
exif: {}