Considering the neighborhood and strategic commonalities between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation, as well as the preferential trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, the Russian market can be considered as a suitable market for Iranian products, especially agricultural products, food industries, downstream petrochemical industries, iron and steel products, minerals, etc.
Zanjan province with an area of more than 22 thousand square kilometers is located in the northwestern region of the country. Zanjan province has about 1.34% of Iran’s areas (ranking 20th in the country) and 1.3% of the country’s population. Zanjan is bordered by the provinces of Gilan, Ardabil, East and West Azerbaijan, Hamadan, Kurdistan.
The location of Zanjan province in the northwest of the country, with an average height higher than sea level, has made it a province with favorable natural and climatic conditions, and a high power and capacity for life and activity. Also, these features have made it possible for Zanjan to accept various roles and functions in different economic, social, cultural and political fields. Like Isfahan, Zanjan has the largest number of neighboring provinces. This position has created many advantages and a favorable ability to increase national and regional interactions.
Zanjan Province has economic and commercial exchanges with Russia. One percent of Zanjan exports is to Russia and mostly in the field of lead and zinc.
Other Zanjan capacities for the development of economic exchanges with Russia are in the field of construction industry, agricultural products, animal husbandry and cellulose products (paper and cardboard). Zanjan province is located near important cities such as Tehran, Tabriz, Karaj, Qazvin, Hamadan, Sanandaj and Rasht.
The location of the main consumption markets with about 50% of the country’s population and more than 56% of the gross domestic product (without crude oil and natural gas) within a radius of 400 km from Zanjan city are other advantages which has placed Zanjan in a privileged position to play a role in various fields of agriculture, industry, services and commerce.
The geopolitical conditions of Zanjan in the northwest region of the country and access to half of the country’s market have provided the logistic capacity of Zanjan for service coverage in the neighboring markets.
Considering the 25-year agreement between Iran and Russia and in order to consolidation of economic-political relations of the two countries after the Ukraine war, Zanjan province can be the center of trade exchanges with Russia due to its geographical, industrial and agricultural capacities.