TEHRAN - An exhibition showcasing the capabilities of handicrafts producers, cooperatives and skills trainees opened on Saturday in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province, southeast Iran.

Allah-nazar Shahbakhsh, the provincial director for the department of cooperatives, labor and social welfare, said the three-day exhibition aims to introduce products made by home-based businesses and provide direct support to small-scale producers in the province, Miras Aria reported on Sunday.

Shahbakhsh said the province’s share of loans allocated to home-based businesses rose by 112% compared with last [Iranian calendar] year, adding that interest-free loans have been planned for individuals, legal entities and supporting projects.

He said the measures are intended to ensure the sustainability of such fragile businesses, expand markets and improve household livelihoods.

Small and micro units play an important role in the local economy and regional development, the official said, adding that supporting them could help create sustainable employment in the province.

He said more than 20,000 licenses for home-based businesses have been issued in Sistan-Baluchestan over the past three years, including 2,300 licenses granted in the current year.

The collective province -- Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south -- accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west, and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions. It is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (Burnt City) and Lut desert.

In ancient times, Sistan-Baluchestan connected the Indus Valley to the Babylonian civilizations.

AM