TEHRAN - Handicrafts exports from Tehran province reached $40 million during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year 1399 (started March 20).

Traditional glassware, mosaic, woodwork, hand-woven textiles, personal ornamentations, and semi-precious stones were amongst the objects exported to some European and neighboring countries, IRNA quoted deputy provincial tourism chief Parvaneh Heydari as saying on Wednesday.

She said that [objects made from] precious metals comprised the lion’s share of the exports during the mentioned period which amounted to some $31 million.

Tehran province exported $73 million of handicrafts during the past Iranian calendar year 1398 (March 2019-March 2020) and its handicrafts exports reached $84.12 million during the Iranian calendar year 1397 (March 2018-March 2019), according to official data compiled by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Some 295 fields of handicrafts are currently practiced across Iran with more than two million people engaging, the majority of whom are women.

Handicrafts also play an important role in the economy of villagers.

There are some three million women-headed households, out of a total of 22 million families, and most of them can be found in less developed areas of the country.

The country exported $523 million worth of handicrafts during the past calendar year 1398 (ended March 19). 

AFM/MG