TEHRAN – The Iranian government will offer free insurance coverage to around 150,000 craftspeople and artisans who live in small towns and villages across the country.

“150,000 craftspeople, living in villages and small towns, as well as nomadic crafters, will be granted insurance coverage and the government will provide payments for the first year,” IRNA quoted Pouya Mahmoudian, the deputy cultural heritage, handicrafts, and tourism minister, as saying on Monday.

“Craftswomen constitute some 75 percent of crafters in villages, small towns, and nomadic tribes, and many of whom are breadwinners,” she added.

In late January, 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.

The country exported $523 million worth of handicrafts during the past calendar year 1398 (ended March 19). 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.

AFM/MG