TEHRAN – Iran exported $138 million worth of handmade carpets in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (ended July 22), the Iran National Carpet Center director said here on Monday.

The Mehr news agency quoted Faisal Mardasi as saying that, “the United Arab Emirates and Germany were the main destinations for Persian carpets.”

Japan, Canada, Italy, Brazil, Sweden, and Lebanon were the other major importers of Iranian-made carpets.

Iran exported $556 million worth of handmade carpets in the previous (calendar) year, up 12 percent year on year. 

The amount showed some 4 percent increase in terms of weight in comparison to its preceding year.

According to Mardasi, Iran is the world’s top carpet exporter.

The official had previously said that by offering competitive prices, compared to Indian, Chinese and Pakistani carpets, and adjusting the designs and colors of the carpets to global demand Iran could increase its share in international markets.