TEHRAN (ISNA) -- Pakistan's embassy trade consultant in Tehran stated that they had not received any official complaints from Iran about the illegal copying of Persian carpet designs by Pakistani businessmen.

Mohammad Saeed Jadun went on to add that Pakistan and Afghanistan, like Iran, are both carpet manufacturers and Iran would have a right to make such complains only if had registered its carpet designs in the World Intellectual Property Organization Convention, to which Pakistan is a signatory.

"Carpet manufacturing industry in Pakistan receives contribution from Iranians,” he said, adding it is not unusual to see similar designs used in weaving carpets in the neighboring countries of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Jadun also claimed that Pakistan government could not stop carpet manufacture with Iranian designs but those who own a copy right and believe their carpet designs were pirated could take their complaints to a customs tribunal accepted by both countries.

"Pakistan exports carpets that are similar to the Persian ones, but Iran has a better position in the global carpet and rug market,” Jadun added, “carpets that are manufactured in Pakistan with cooperation of Iranian designers are mostly exported to the U.S.," he stated.

He also denied the claim that Pakistani carpets were sold at the international market in the name of Iranian carpets.

"Pakistan’s carpet factories have their own trademarks,” he said, admitting that a small number of Iranian carpets are smuggled to Pakistan.

Several Iranian carpet weavers and designers have frequently complained about their works being illegally copied by Pakistani carpet manufacturers.