MNA � Imam Khomeini International Airport�s (IKIA) free trade zone will soon be ready for economic activities through the establishment of a new customs building and stock room, a senior official at Imam Khomeini Airport City Company (IKAC) said on Saturday.

According to Azar Movahedi, the deputy head of IKAC�s infrastructure affairs, the move to expand the airport�s throughput capacities comes in line with the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development�s policy to evolve IKIA into a major cargo and passenger hub in the Middle East.

She said, connecting IKIA to the international transportation networks, including the East-West and North-South corridors, as well as linking it to the national railway and Tehran�s subway system are among the main steps to achieve such a goal.

To do so, a project was launched in 2015 to create an airport city (IKAC) near IKIA, with special focus on hosting businesses, production and industrial activities.

IKAC, which includes a 1,500-hectare free trade zone and a 2,500-hectare special economic zone in a 13,700-hectare area, aims to help national and international companies to cluster around the airport and engage in business activities, the deputy said.

Among the other objectives pursued by IKAC are: Creating sustainable sources of income to improve aeronautical, cargo and passenger operations, boosting foreign exchange revenues, creating sustainable economic growth, increasing airline companies� revenues, and enriching the connection time of transiting passengers.

The project is expected to create 500,000 new employment opportunities and generate non-aeronautical revenues amounting to 60% of the airport�s total revenues.