TEHRAN - Iran's handicraft exports, excluding jewelry and suitcase exports, reached $450 million in the past Persian year (ended on March 19), according to the deputy minister for handicrafts.

“That sum of handicrafts' exports enjoyed a year-on-year growth attributed to the concerted efforts and support from the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts (Ezzatollah Zarghami), who have been instrumental in removing barriers to export,” Maryam Jalali-Dehkordi said.

She, however, did not mention a figure concerning handicraft exports made a year earlier.  

Speaking to ILNA on Saturday, the official emphasized the importance of exports in the handicrafts market, noting the sector’s remarkable progress over the past year.

“Export is a crucial link in the handicrafts market chain,” Jalali-Dehkordi said on the sidelines of a conference held to celebrate World Handicrafts Day.

"Over the past years, our ministry has undertaken significant foundational and structural activities, leading to notable growth in exports since last year.”

Addressing the conference, Jalali Dehkordi said during the current administration, handicrafts found a voice, became fruitful, and approached business development. “Creating incentives and providing facilities for the handicrafts sector, tax exemptions, special attention to the private sector, providing insurance coverage for 10,000 handicraft artists, creating some 150,000 jobs, training 65,000 people through various programs, were among measures taken by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts over the past three years.”

Currently, a selection of 13 cities and three villages in Iran have been registered by the World Council of Handicrafts as “world cities of handicrafts”.

AM