Aras Free Zone is located in 5 separate parts in the northwest of Iran and the zero point on the border adjacent to Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and along the Aras border river.

The Aras area has always been of interest to traders and travelers from Asia-Europe and the Silk Road.

This importance has led to the prosperity of the silkworm breeding industry during the Safavid era, as well as the construction of caravanserais and residential, service and commercial complexes in the last century in the Jolfa area.

The construction of Jolfa railway station and Jolfa-Tabriz electric railway, which is connected to the national railway of the former Soviet Union, is one of these infrastructures.

Aras area has gone through the following stages in the path of industrialization and commercialization:

• Establishment of the present-day customs and warehouses 60 years ago (now active)
• Establishment of industrial zone and special economic investment zone (Jolfa Special Economic Zone)
• Changing the special zone into Aras free trade-industrial zone

The economic prosperity of Aras Free Zone caused the total area of Aras Free Zone to be expanded to 71,848 hectares in 2020 and was determined as follows:

• Suitable geographical location:

• Temperate mountain climate
• Proximity to the market of 400 million CIS countries
• Located within the 10-million market in northwestern Iran

• Favorable infrastructure:

• Abundance of electricity and gas
• High-speed telecommunication lines
• Abundant water of Aras River
• Aras, Khodaafarin, Golfaraj and Gordian dams

• Lands and projects ready for investment in various industrial, agricultural, tourism, scientific and technological and transit uses:

• Vast agricultural plains of Gardian, Golfaraj, Khodaafarin and Gholi Bigloo
• Industrial estates
• Lands surrounding tourism highway
• Ready warehouses

• Tourism and cultural potentials:

• Thousands-year historical works of different religions
• Aras Geo Park and beautiful natural attractions

• Over 5 million visits (cultural, health, commercial, recreational) to the area annually
• Customs and handicrafts different from other parts of Iran
• 6 prestigious active Iranian universities with more than 5000 Iranian and non-Iranian students in master's and doctoral degrees in the fields of medical sciences, humanities and engineering

• Exemption from customs duties and commercial profits for the import of raw materials and machinery
• Exemption from customs duties and commercial profits for the import of goods produced in the region to other parts of Iran under the Value Added Law
• No need for visa for non-Iranian citizens
• Human resources (cheap and specialized labor)
• Investment security
• 20-year tax exemption
• Cheap warehousing
• Possibility of 100% foreign investment without Iranian participation