TEHRAN - A selection of five Iranian historical and cultural monuments will be turned into creative centers for handicrafts, the head of the Fund for Development of Handicrafts and Handmade Carpet and Revitalization and Utilization of Historical and Cultural Places has announced.

Haj Shahbaz Khan Public Bathhouse in western Kermanshah province, Moshir Divan Mansion in western Kordestan province, Zaeim Abui Mansion in southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, Najafi and Haj Raeis mansions both in southwestern Bushehr province, have recently been ceded to the private sector to be converted into handicrafts centers, Hadi Mirzai said on Tuesday.

Besides maintaining and preserving historical sites, the establishment of these centers enables them to promote handicrafts, encourage and honor artists, veterans, and activists who are involved in various fields of handicraft and handwoven carpets, the official added.

These centers also aim to develop, promote, and export local handicraft products while also creating local employment opportunities in the fields of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts, he noted.

Some historical sites and monuments across Iran have been temporarily ceded to the private sector during the past couple of years under the close supervision of the Fund, to achieve higher productivity and better maintenance.

The lack of a sufficient government budget for the restoration of all centuries-old sites is the main reason behind the ceding projects.

In 2019, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts announced that of the numerous historical buildings and structures that are scattered across Iran, some 2,500 ones need restoration.

ABU/AFM