Iran Issues New Guidelines to Boost Regional Investment Competitiveness

Iran Issues New Guidelines to Boost Regional Investment Competitiveness
(Tuesday, June 3, 2025) 15:12

TEHRAN (NIPNA) – Iran’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance has issued a comprehensive 21-article directive aimed at improving infrastructure and investment processes across the country, particularly at the provincial level, in a bid to enhance both domestic and foreign investment competitiveness.

The directive, titled “Enhancing Competitiveness in Attracting and Realizing Investment”, was approved by the National Finance Council and formally communicated by acting Minister Seyed Rahmatollah Akrami to the Organization for Investment, Economic, and Technical Assistance of Iran.

Based on Articles 26 and 27 and Clause A of Article 46 of the Law on Financing Production and Infrastructure, the directive seeks to redesign and target the mechanisms for investment attraction at both national and provincial levels.

Key Provisions

Standardized Definitions
The first chapter outlines key definitions to establish a common language among stakeholders, including terms such as “unnamed investment package,” “priority sectoral and regional opportunities,” and “foreign investment realization.”

Mapping Investment Capacities
Provincial governments and executive agencies are mandated to identify investment capacities, design regional development models, and upload tailored opportunities to the national investment platform. They are also required to define and publish incentive packages, including exemptions, preferences, and financial facilities.

Unnamed Investment Packages
Working with chambers of commerce and cooperatives, unnamed packages for infrastructure projects can now be issued. The process—from proposal to permit and investor selection—must follow a transparent, multi-stage framework. Approval by provincial planning councils and national agencies is required.

Operational Requirements for Investment Promotion
Agencies must develop promotional materials—including brochures, infographics, and catalogs—and maintain an annual calendar of investment promotion events. A national registry of potential investors, including names, nationalities, sectors, and investment amounts, must be updated monthly.

Monitoring and Evaluation
The directive obliges agencies to track foreign investment inflows, record the origin of funds in agreements, and submit biannual progress reports. Provinces must hold regular review sessions, led by governors, to analyze setbacks and report findings centrally.

Digitalization and Accessibility
All relevant agencies must digitize investment processes and provide real-time access to the investment organization. Project information must be available in Persian, English, and Arabic, with provisions for further translation.

Institutional Support and Training
Agencies are authorized to use private investment promotion firms to streamline processes. Each entity must appoint two qualified coordinators and participate in training workshops led by the investment organization.

Strategic Goal

The directive represents a major step in decentralizing investment facilitation, enhancing transparency, and building a robust infrastructure for sustainable economic growth. Its full implementation is expected to boost investor confidence and foster balanced regional development.

 


Email is required
Characters left: 500
Comment is required