Khorasan Foreign Investment The Message of Governer     As the largest province situated in the north-east of Iran and covering a 313,000 sq. km area, Khorasan shares both a 620 km border with Afghanistan in the east and a 750 km border with the Turkeministan Republic in the north. Comprising 224 villages, 75 districts, 223 towns and 55 townships, Khorasan with a total population of 6.3 million forms the second populous region in the Islamic Republic of Iran. More importantly, the existence of celestial shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), the second most important pilgrimage centre to the Muslims world-wide, in addition to various historical monuments and breathtaking landscape transforms Khorasan into a tourist magnet which annually attracts 12 million eager visitors from across the country and abroad -- a large number of whom include foreign dignitaries and guests.   Since the dawn of time Khorasan has always been one of the important centres of civilisation, culture, science, industry and also a vital socio-economic centre located in the east of Iran. Due to distintegration of the former Soviet Union and construction of the massive Mashad-Tajan rail way, once again, this province is transformed into a focal point for economic activities, a catalyst for international communication and of course a major transit-orientated highway in the region-- specially in view of the restoration of the Ancient-Silk Road further linking the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) with Indian and Pacific Oceans and Europe.       Fortunately the province's cultural, commercial, transit, tourism and industrial potentialities have already drawn the immediate attention of both country's decision-makers and the concerned international communities. Khorasan proudly ranks first in production of food stuff, fruit(s), meat products plus strategic agricultural and dairy products. Apart from 3,300 new units now under construction, currently, 2,900 more industrial-mining units are fully operational within this region and their products include sugar, fruit concentrate(s), various tinned products, food and pharmaceutical products, fertilisers, textile, building materials, sanitary ware, home appliances, automotive parts, variety of handicarft(s), etc. Remarkably, Khorasan also contains the richest deposits of precious stones and thirty variant types of mines among which the building and decorative stones, with proven reserves of 60 million tons, constitute most important export items of the province     We sincerely hope that our unceasing efforts in compliance with the brilliant leadership and guidelines of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, will fruitfully lead both to the proper implementation of the country's socio-economic development programmes and the meaningful promotion of the export of technical and engineering services     Khorasan at a glance The city of Mashad, the provincial capital of Khorasan, enjoys all essential amenities such as 50 modern hotels, numerous restaurants and 40 tourism related companies, providing the guests with all imperative services and therefore is conveniently capable of accommodating over 100,000 visitors at present. In addition to four existing airports in the region MASHAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, the second largest in the country, presently maintains direct flights to and from more than 10 different countries,-- particularly to neighbouring ones and Central Asian republics.         Covering a 5,200 ha. area and affiliated with the Astan-e-Ghods, Sarakhs Free Trade Zone is both adjacent to the Ancient Silk Road and situated 75 km away from the city of Mashad. In light of a combination of favourable advantages namely, strategic location, commercial potentialities, availibility of the country's largest rail way station as well as the existence of an international airport, this free trade zone certainly provides a golden opportunity for those foreign investors, governmental and non-governmental alike, who are interested in gaining access to Central Asian markets. Due to its unique strategic location and the high quality and variety of its manufactured products this province not only enjoys extraordinary socio-economic potentialities, but is also duly perceived as a powerful economic magnet (situated at heart of Islamic Republic) by the international community. Appropriately recognising this fact, all the newly independent Central Asian states have thus established their respective consulate (s) in the city of Mashad.