that the IRI's view towards the East is a real necessity due to today's global economic needs

 There are many opportunities for the IRI in the East. Two major opportunities are the Silk Road, which aims to connect China from the East to the West politically and economically, with Iran at the central point of this route, and the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes countries like Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia, offering an $800 billion market for the IRI. Iran has a unique relative advantage in facing these two major international and potential global opportunities: the Incheh Borun Free Zone. Few countries have the geopolitical capability to connect to two economic worlds from one geographical point. Incheh Borun is that point, providing the IRI with a special connection to two international economic and trade worlds.

The Incheh Borun Free Trade Zone, located in northeastern Iran, is the country's connection point to these two global opportunities. Although Incheh Borun is strategically located near important international corridors, being in this geographical position alone is not enough to realize these potential advantages. Incheh Borun is currently more of a geographical area naturally situated on the Silk Road or as a natural entry point for Iran into the Eurasian Economic Union. This geographical advantage will only become an economic and trade capacity with international standing if special measures are taken to enhance it. Recently, the customs of the Incheh Borun Free Trade Zone was inaugurated, which is a step forward but not the final destination.

Incheh Borun has the potential to become a hub for transit and logistics. Transit and logistics mean that with the right measures, policies, and planning, Incheh Borun can become the central point of the value chain and supply, production, and distribution of goods in this part of the world.

Achieving this status requires two special approaches: The first relates to governance. In governance, economic diplomacy needs serious work. Various parts of the governance system, including the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Free Zones, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and various government sectors, must work together in a long-term collaboration to create useful and attractive legal advantages for this area. The goal is to encourage and attract investors and economic actors to operate and be present in this region. The second approach involves Iranian economic actors or the private sector, who need to focus on exports and production aimed at exporting and entering Eastern markets.

Eliminating bureaucratic obstacles, making activities in the Incheh Borun Free Zone attractive, defining legal advantages, and creating infrastructure capacities are tasks that the government, especially the relevant organization in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Free Zones, must pursue and will certainly pursue. However, this approach or effort will not succeed without a global and export-oriented perspective from investors and economic actors. In summary, Iran's gateway to the East, namely the Silk Road and the large market of the Eurasian Economic Union, is now in our hands. This gateway is the Incheh Borun Free Zone. The capacity and opportunity for national and historical work are available. But to maximize the benefits of this capacity and opportunity, we must learn from past experiences, understand the current needs of Iran and the world, and chart the course based on the major future outlooks. This means that all parts related to the Incheh Borun Free Zone, including officials, decision-makers, legislators, and economic actors, must have a national view with an international perspective towards this region.