TEHRAN—On Monday, Iran unveiled a handwoven carpet it is going to present to the FIFA Museum in the near future.

The carpet, which bears depictions of various national flags as well as iconic monuments, was unveiled at an exhibition dedicated to handwoven rugs and carpets in Tehran, ISNA reported.

Two different versions of the rug are right now being woven in Tabriz, which has long been a thriving hub for handwoven carpets. According to experts, they are sought after internationally for their delicate designs and high quality.

One of the carpets will be presented to the emir of Qatar while the third one will be kept in the Islamic Republic, the report said.

Moreover, an exhibition of Iranian handicrafts and hand-woven carpets is planned to be held on the sidelines of the Qatar World Cup, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade said last week.

Doha will also host five more Iranian exhibitions in the fields of food, furniture and chandeliers, decoration, construction materials, clothing, Islamic fashion, hotel and catering, and technical and engineering services, the official added.

Back in May, Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami and Qatar’s Minister of Culture and Sports Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani met in Tehran, exchanging views on how to facilitate tourism during the major event.

Zarghami says the country must take the immense opportunity to introduce the county to the international spectators of the major event. “A significant number of travelers, mostly young people, would arrive in Qatar to attend the World Cup… It provides an exceptional opportunity for us to promote tourist attractions of the country.”

Head of the Iranian Tour Operators Ebrahim Pourfaraj believes the World Cup should be a turning point in Iran’s tourism industry. “By attracting World Cup spectators to Iran, the Iranian tourism industry could secure a brighter future.” There is also a need for the Iranian southern islands of Kish and Qeshm to re-affirm their accommodation centers’ capacity to receive foreign travelers, he noted.

Iran football team became the 14th team to book their place in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Moreover, the ‘Persian Leopards’ became the first Asian team to book their place in a major competition.

AM