The problems of regional development and border cities: A case study of Zahedan, Iran

Sistan va Baluchestan is the southeast province of Iran with an area of 187,502 km2 which has 987 km of borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan. The eastern border was drawn by the Border Commission assigned under the Goldsmith Plan in September 1871, and has separated parts of Baluchestan from Iran. Today, a majority of the Baluch people (about 10 million people) live in Baluchestan of Pakistan, which is some 347,000 km2, and another group of Baluch live in Afghanistan. The Iranian Baluchestan has the lowest position in the development indices of the provinces of Iran and stands at the 23rd rank. In the border area of Baluchestan within Iran, Zahedan is the most important regional city. The present study shows that this region faces some problems in regard to its development and is still underdeveloped. The most important factors contributing to this underdevelopment include: separation of population centers from their social and economic hinterlands; common cultural, ethnic and religious characteristics of the people on both sides of border; different levels of border area development and immigration facilities; potential for border exchanges. Although some of the above factors provide economic and job opportunities, under the existing conditions, they play a negative role in development.