Baku, Azerbaijan, August 21
Trend:
The United States is now the largest importer of Iranian carpets, shipping in $21 million worth of highly prized Iranian artistry last year, said the head of the Iran National Carpet Center.
Citing customs figures, Fereshteh Dastpak said that over 792 tons of carpets worth $38 million were exported in the four months from March 21, showing growth compared to last year, IRIB news agency reported.
Iran exported over 292 tons of carpets worth $21 million during the same period last year, she added.
The official noted that the new US sanctions have not affected this business yet.
The United States reimposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran on Aug. 6, ratcheting up pressure on the Islamic Republic despite statements of deep dismay from European allies, three months after President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
Iranian carpets are made of wool, silk or cotton, or a combination of the three. They are dyed with natural ingredients such as walnut skins, pomegranate and acorn cups.
Carpet weaving has a history of 2,500 years in Iran, ingrained in the country's national identity. There are currently one million weavers across the country, including 700,000 full-time artisans involved in the profession.
The northwestern provinces of Ardabil and East Azerbaijan, Isfahan in central Iran and Kerman in the southeast are the major carpet-weaving zones, each having its own unique style.
It is a family-run business, involving all age categories. Artisan products are churned out in local workshops where honed skills in design, weaving and dying make the difference. It is a painstaking vocation where some rugs take a decade or more to weave.
In the United States, Iranian rugs are sold for between $10,000 for a smaller rug and $100,000 or even twice as much for a fine, large rug.