PROSPECTS FOR CREATING A FREE TRADE ZONE BETWEEN THE EAEU AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to consider the geo-economic prospects of signing the EAEU Free Trade Agreement with Iran. This is especially important for Armenia, which, as a full member of the EAEU, is particularly interested in deepening economic cooperation between Iran and the EAEU. The agreement will not only increase the organization’s turnover, but also turn Armenia into a transit state, which, being the only land country of the EAEU, bordering Iran, will play a key role in the transportation of goods. It is important to note that Iran, which has traditionally been guided by the principle of protectionism (a policy of restricting imports from other countries in order to stimulate the growth of national production) in the face of severe international sanctions, provides customs privileges to the EAEU member countries for about 500 names of products, which can make EAEU products competitive in the Iranian market, therefore. The EAEU’s entry into the Iranian market will further enable to enter the markets of the Middle East. The scientific novelty of the article is to identify the features of the development of the integration process of the EAEU member countries, identify the main problems that arise in the conditions of their integration and justify promising areas of development along with the possibility of cooperation of member countries with other countries trying to build new and mutually beneficial relations within the EAEU.