Izeh, a city in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, is on the way to becoming a national kilim city due to the unique quality of its hand-woven kilims. This measure can introduce it to the global handicraft scene.

Experts believe that this city has the potential to be globally registered, Mehr News Agency reported. 
Kilim, a traditional handwoven rug inspired by nature, agriculture and tribal life, has a special position in the culture and life of Iranian people.
This art has reached the peak of its prosperity in Izeh. 
Shokrollah Qasemi, deputy head of Khuzestan’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism department, said the process of initial assessment for registration of Izeh as the national city of kilim has been conducted with the presence of Behzad Ahmadi Farsani, the director-general of the Office for Handicrafts Education and Promotion.
Visiting kilim-waving workshops, urban elements decorated with kilim patterns and frequent requests of Izeh people indicates serious determination for materializing this goal, he said.
In case of gaining necessary indicators, Izeh dossier will be sent to the Office of Registration of Monuments of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, he added.
Based on official statistics, Izeh has over 29 active kilim-weaving workshops and two official institutes, he said. Close to 500 weavers received a kilim-weaving certificate during the last Iranian year, he added. Seven artisans have achieved to get seal of excellence for kilim-weaving, he pointed out. 
Qasemi continued that the remarkable growth of kilim-weaving workshops in recent years has turned Izeh into one of main hubs of kilim weaving. “We have tapped all Izeh’s facilities to create sustainable employment and raise urban incomes.” 
 Izeh, a city in southwestern Iran, has considerable scope to be recognized globally for its rich tradition of kilim weaving.
According to Abbas Rahimi, a handicrafts researcher, Izeh holds significant potential to be registered as a world city of kilims by the World Crafts Council (WCC), provided certain infrastructural improvements are made.
Located in the northeastern Khuzestan province, Izeh has long been a hub for weaving kilim carpets, whose essential skills are passed down from generation to generation.
In an interview with ISNA, Rahimi highlighted that Izeh’s kilims are already in the process of being nationally registered.
He emphasized that for the city to gain international recognition, the existing facilities simply need to be better organized.
Izeh even has more potential than Dezful (another ancient city within the province), which was recognized as a world city for its basket-weaving craft, Rahimi stated.
He pointed to the abundance of kilim weaving workshops and cooperatives businesses across the city as evidence of its capacity. 
The kilims produced in Izeh are not only decorative but highly functional, Rahimi noted. He explained that international recognition could greatly enhance the city’s prospects for development and progress, turning Izeh into a global hub for kilim artistry.
For Izeh to achieve WCC recognition, Rahimi stressed the importance of inviting World Crafts Council evaluators to visit the city’s kilim-weaving workshops, cooperatives, markets, and training centers.
Izeh, located 180 kilometers from Ahvaz and known for its rich eco-tourism, is home to the Bakhtiari tribe, whose members speak the Bakhtiari dialect. Situated in a semi-mountainous region, the city plays a vital role in Khuzestan’s cultural and handicraft landscape.
Kilims, which are flat tapestry-woven carpets or rugs, have been traditionally produced in Iran and other countries of the former Persian Empire.

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