THE ROLE OF EXPANDING PUBLIC WAREHOUSING AND CUSTOMS SERVICES IN IRAN’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT A Comprehensive Comparative Analysis of Logistics Infrastructure, Customs Modernization, and International Trade Competitiveness

In the twenty-first century global economy, logistics infrastructure and customs administration have become among the most influential determinants of economic growth, trade competitiveness, industrial productivity, and regional integration. Public warehousing systems and customs services constitute the operational backbone of international trade by facilitating cargo movement, reducing transaction costs, improving supply chain efficiency, accelerating customs clearance, and supporting industrial and commercial activities. Countries that have successfully modernized their logistics and customs sectors have generally achieved stronger economic growth, higher export performance, greater foreign direct investment inflows, and improved integration into global value chains. Iran possesses exceptional geopolitical advantages due to its strategic location connecting the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, the Caucasus, South Asia, and Europe. The country lies on several critical international transport corridors and has substantial potential to become a regional logistics and transit hub. Nevertheless, despite these strategic opportunities, Iran’s logistics and customs sectors continue to face major structural, technological, institutional, and administrative challenges. These include customs bureaucracy, inadequate warehousing infrastructure, limited digitalization, insufficient multimodal transport integration, fragmented governance, weak private-sector participation, and the economic consequences of international sanctions. The present research examines the role of expanding public warehousing and customs services in Iran’s economic development through a comprehensive analytical and comparative framework. The study investigates how warehousing systems and customs modernization influence economic indicators such as trade facilitation, export competitiveness, transit revenues, industrial productivity, investment attraction, employment generation, and fiscal revenues. Furthermore, the research compares Iran’s logistics and customs structures with successful international experiences in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, China, Germany, South Korea, and Turkey. Using descriptive-analytical methodology and institutional comparative analysis, this paper demonstrates that the modernization of public warehouses and customs services can significantly contribute to Iran’s economic transformation from a resource-dependent economy toward a logistics-oriented and trade-driven development model. The findings emphasize the necessity of digital customs systems, smart warehousing technologies, integrated transport corridors, dry port development, customs harmonization, and public-private logistics partnerships. The research concludes that Iran’s future economic competitiveness increasingly depends on its ability to modernize logistics infrastructure, improve customs governance, integrate into international supply chains, and transform its geographical advantages into sustainable economic assets.

کلیدواژه ها:

Public Warehousing ، Customs Services ، Economic Development ، Logistics Infrastructure ، Trade Facilitation ، Supply Chain Management ، Transit Economy ، Smart Customs ، Iran