Territorial Strategies for Iranian border regions using the SWOT model and ANP network analysis (Case Study: South Khorasan)

Border regions have long been considered by governments for a number of specific features, including eccentricity, lack of development, habitation instability, border interactions, and so on. But the planning of these areas has not yet arrived at its true position in the country's planning system. South Khorasan province having the largest border with Afghanistan is still one of the less developed provinces and has used fewer border opportunities and capabilities. This is a quantitative research with a descriptive-analytic nature and provides a suitable model for planning the border regions using field method, questionnaire and analysis via the SWOT and ANP model. The results show that an aggressive strategy is the appropriate pattern for border regions and based on prioritization, the aggressive strategy (SO)-the simultaneous empowerment of development and security infrastructures to achieve a sustainable development- is set in the top rank. Moreover, the results of weighing the criteria indicate that the existence of border markets, customs and special economic zone (S2) are the most important strength