TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy minister for handicrafts said on Tuesday that authorities are working to register the northeastern city of Shirvan as the country’s national hub for Dotar making during a visit to local artisans in the city located in North Khorasan province.

Maryam Jalali-Dehkordi noted that one of the main aims of her trip was to review progress on the national registration file for Dotar craftsmanship. She said initial steps had been completed and that officials were working to finalize the dossier so Shirvan could be designated the national city of Dotar making.

The official said such a designation could strengthen local capacities and promote Shirvan’s craft at national and international levels, according to the report.

Elsewhere in her remarks, Jalali-Dehkordi underlined that structural problems facing artisans included the prevalence of individual rather than collective activity. She called for the formation of unions, cooperatives and professional associations to improve access to bank loans, insurance, training and government support.

The official also emphasized that handicrafts could not survive without a stable market. She said producers needed to strengthen marketing, build international links and expand domestic and foreign sales channels.

She also referred to a ministry plan that aims to link Iranian provinces with neighboring countries to create cultural exchanges. She said the initiative could open opportunities for exports, new markets and broader promotion of Iranian handicrafts.

The United Nations cultural agency UNESCO inscribed the traditional skills of crafting and playing the Dotar on its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2019. UNESCO says the instrument is central to folkloric music in Dotar regions, where farmers and community members craft and play it using local woods and transmit related knowledge through the master–student tradition.

The stringed instrument is traditionally played at weddings, celebrations and ceremonies, recounting epic, historical and lyrical narratives that reflect community identity. UNESCO says the practice supports coexistence, respect and understanding among communities and neighboring countries.

AM