IRNA - The Director General of the Immigrants Affairs Department of Social Security Organization stressed the need for insurance coverage of workers in commercial-industry Free Trade Zones and said that Iranian and foreign workers working in free zones and special economic zones are subject to the social security laws.

Ahmad Reza Khazayee added on Saturday that the purpose of creating free industrial and special economic zones is to facilitate production and trade, and create more jobs and exports in order to provide the country with economic stability. These areas have been exempted from the laws and regulations of some of the mainland laws, but the Constitution of the Islamic Republic is a national treatise on the whole country.

'The social security organization can independently apply to provide various insurance services, as appropriate, to domestic and foreign employees of units located in free zones based on social security laws and regulations. The passage has been approved by the presidency,' he said.

Khazeei added, �Article 9 of regulations on the entry and residence of foreigners stipulated that for the employment of foreigners in the FTZ, observance of the regulations regarding the employment of manpower, insurance and social security in the free industrial zones of the Islamic Republic Iran is required.