Investigating the Role of Border Location on the Economic Stability of Rural Settlements (Case Study: Rural Areas of Sistan, Southeast of Iran)

 Today, the rural areas located in the border regions have experienced unequal access to opportunities and benefits of growth and development, which has been made some problems and disturbances such as migration, smuggling of goods, rebellion, and insecurity. In this regard, special attention should be paid to border villages and the effect of locating some settlements in border regions on economic, social, and ecological dimensions. This study aimed to analyze the role of the border regions in the sustainability of the economy of rural areas of Sistan & Baluchestan in the southeast of Iran. 

The research method in the current research is of qualitative-quantitative type, and based on the purpose, it is of applied type. The statistical population includes elites, experts, managers, councils, and villagers of the border villages of Sistan (Zahak, Hirmand and Nimrooz). Based on targeted sampling, the number of 50 people was determined. SWOT model and Delphi method were used to analyze the information

The results of the SWOT analysis showed that the sum of the strengths and opportunities is more than the weaknesses and threats (WT < SO). Therefore, the strategy is to stabilize the economy of rural settlements with an emphasis on the border (competitive) position. In the following, the proposed strategy extracted from the SWOT model was measured and confirmed using the Delphi method in three rounds.

Providing the proper strategies according to the competitive strategy (long-term performance plan emphasizing the capabilities of border regions) and considering the potential and actual abilities of the villages of Sistan are effective in developing and reducing immigration, unemployment, and goods smuggling of the study area.