Geography and Regional Planning

Geography and Regional Planning

The Sustainable Development Model in the Free Trade Zones of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Authors
Mohammad Hossein Ghiyasvand 1
Mehrdad Navabakhsh 2
Mohammad Ali Abdolvand 3
Farideh Haghshenas Kashani 4
1 Faculty of Management and Economics.Islamic Azad University. Science and Research Unit .tehran, iran
2 Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
4 Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jgeoq.2026.543817.4327
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a sustainable development model in the free trade zones of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In terms of data nature, the research is qualitative and conducted in a case study style. The participants included managers of free trade zones, university professors specializing in free trade zones, experts, and practitioners active in these areas. The sample size, determined through theoretical saturation, consisted of 14 individuals selected purposively using the snowball method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The validity and reliability of the data were confirmed through multiple verification techniques. Based on the analysis of the interviews, 362 codes were initially obtained during the open coding stage, which, after removing duplicates, were reduced to 246 primary codes. Ultimately, these codes were categorized into 20 sub-themes and 4 main themes. The findings indicate that sustainable development in the free trade zones of the Islamic Republic of Iran requires an integrated and coordinated approach across four dimensions: economic, social, environmental, and institutional. The results further show that without transparent, participatory, and knowledge-based governance, efficient economic and environmental infrastructures, and the strengthening of social resilience, free trade zones will not only fail to achieve sustainable development goals but may also exacerbate economic disparities, weaken social cohesion, and cause environmental degradation. Accordingly, policy reform, institutional capacity-building, and forward-looking, equity-oriented strategic planning are identified as key prerequisites for achieving genuine sustainability in these zones.
Keywords
Sustainable Development
Economic Development
Social Development
Environmental Development
Free Trade Zones of Iran
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