Introduction: The idea of ​​establishing free zones in the country with the aim of creating a region that would be the engine of the country's development was formed in the early years after the war and in the first budget plan. The implementation of this idea and the establishment of several free zones in different parts of the country naturally brings with it certain requirements, the most important of which is the profound socio-cultural impacts in these areas. In this research, we will try to identify and evaluate these socio-cultural changes under the influence of the Aras Free Zone and find out what factors caused such fundamental changes to occur in the city of Tabriz? Our main question in this research is what social and cultural impacts do free zones have on their surrounding area? And specifically, what socio-cultural impacts does the Aras Free Zone have on the city of Tabriz?
Research Methodology: In this study, the grounded theory method was used with the interview tool. A total of 28 useful interviews were prepared and after transcribing and transcribing all the interviews, an attempt was made to extract the main meaning and meaning of the words of the interviewees using open coding. We reached repetition from the twentieth interview, and repetition is the first sign of reaching theoretical saturation. In reviewing the data extracted from the interviews, we even went as far as several interviews to make sure exactly whether another finding could be added to the research or not. These additional interviews did not yield any new data for us.
Research findings: The results obtained indicate that the Aras Free Zone, apart from not achieving any of the initial goals of free zones, such as developing exports instead of imports, emphasizing comparative advantages, and using foreign trade for domestic purposes, has completely turned into a zone in which consumption has taken priority over production. Domestic goods are unable to compete with foreign goods that are imported from the free zone with special facilities, and as a result, manufacturing plants have been put in an unfavorable situation, and the city of Tabriz, under the influence of the free zone, has transformed from a manufacturing city into a consumer city, in which consumer identity, luxury, and luxury consumerism have become very prominent. However, it seems that most of the citizens of Tabriz are interested in this process and are very satisfied with it. Thus, it can be said that apart from the basic and theoretical discussions regarding modernization, this process is inevitable and no escape from it is conceivable, at least until today. The only way forward is to use the many years of experience of various countries that have taken this path and to use the advantages of the processes taken and to avoid its disadvantages.
Conclusion: Analysis of the interviews and studies conducted shows that the Aras Free Zone has caused a fundamental transformation of the city of Tabriz and has led to an increase in the desire for consumption among the people of Tabriz. Among the consequences that were expressed under the title of socio-cultural impacts of the city of Tabriz, we can mention the beauty of the urban appearance, the expansion of consumer identity, the priority of consumption over production, luxury consumerism, the transformation of the identity of the city of Tabriz, the unfavorable situation of the surrounding factories, the increase in youth unemployment, and the weakening of the domestic economy. This ultimately leads to the emergence of a "consumer identity" that is the result of these fundamental changes in the social and cultural processes of the city of Tabriz affected by the Aras Free Zone.