TEHRAN - The deputy director of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department of Gilan Province announced that a total of 145 billion rials in loans were paid to the handicraft artisans in the last Iranian year (ended March 19).

The facilities were paid to 1,467 artisans and craftsmen in the field of handicrafts, Farzad Rashidi highlighted.

"Last year, due to the outbreak of coronavirus and the impact of the disease on employment, the facilities were provided in the form of job creation packages which created jobs for 1,546 persons."

Last year, deputy tourism minister Pouya Mahmoudian noted that due to the outbreak of coronavirus, official exports of handicrafts experienced a steep decline. 

“Some 295 fields of handicrafts are currently practiced across Iran with more than two million people engaging, majority of whom are women… Handicrafts also play an important role in the economy in our rural villages,” she said.

Over the past couple of years, dozens of high-quality Iranian handicrafts have been honored with the UNESCO Seal of Excellence. With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next. In late January, the cities of Shiraz, Malayer, and Zanjan and the village of Qassemabad were designated by the WCC- Asia Pacific Region, putting Iran’s number of world crafts cities and villages from ten to 14.

Iran exported $523 million worth of handicrafts during the past calendar year 1398 (ended March 19, 2020). Of the figure, some $273 million worth of handicrafts were exported officially through customs, and about $250 million was earned via suitcase trade (allowed for customs-free and tax-free transfer) through various provinces, according to data provided by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts. Ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are traditionally exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries.