Regional Development Strategy with an Emphasis on Urban Peripheral Communication Reinforce Case: Rasht

Regional Development Strategy is one of the latest achievements of scientific community in achieving regional development and stability. The aim of this study is formulation the pattern of Regional Development Strategy (RDS) for the city of Rasht. Because this city experienced unique conditions in proportion to the surrounding cities and had an increasing tendency to the centralization. Internal and external strengths and weaknesses of Rasht City was identified based on studying the upstream documents and expert opinions with SWAT model also with using Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix(QSPM) and has investigated to the strategic priority for regional development. Research results indicate that Rasht city faces uneven development in the province that effects on competitiveness reduction of other regions and the strategy of “Infrastructure development and enhance the competitiveness of tourism, manufacturing industries and agriculture” has received the highest score. Results showed that using power and capacity of all regions and enhancing their competitiveness can decrease centralization and enforcing regional role of regional mother Rasht city. Promoting national and international role and assignment some roles to the lower levels not only shaping balanced regional development and spatial balance, but also will lead to reduce poverty, inequality and increase the capacity of environs partnership.