Abdollah Bahrami, CEO of the Association of Iranian Handmade Carpet Producers, has said annual exports have dwindled to just $50 million, a stark contrast to the $2 billion reported in the 1990s.
Bahrami cited several factors contributing to this decline, including the reduction in the number of weavers from 2 million to 1 million, and a drop in production from 6 million square meters to 2 million square meters.
He noted that the lack of support for Iranian carpet producers has allowed competitors like Turkey to thrive and diversify their carpet offerings significantly.
Iran has a reputation for having the best handwoven carpets in the world. But many factors including western sanctions have put a strain on the Iranian carpet industry as they have hindered access to markets and have increased production costs.