Iran's Persian Carpet Exports Drop Drastically
Iran's famed Persian carpet exports have fallen from $426 million annually to less than $50 million over the past six years as the country's most prized treasure goes into freefall.
Iran's famed Persian carpet exports have fallen from $426 million annually to less than $50 million over the past six years as the country's most prized treasure goes into freefall.
Mortaza Haji Aqamiri, Chairman of the Carpet Commission at Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, blamed the government’s policies for the sharp decline in the export of one of Iran’s most famous products, the Persian carpet. “Instead of suppressing exports, policymakers are expected to facilitate trade processes,” he said.
Last March, official reports indicated that the Persian carpet exports were at its lowest levels in 24 years, dropping by 24 percent in just one year.
Several factors, including the challenges to global logistics chains, rising cost of products and the Covid pandemic, account for the major drop in one of Iran’s most prized national treasures, famed around the world for centuries. International sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program have also dealt local industries a fatal blow.
In Iran's rural economy, carpets have been one of the country's most crucial employment opportunities for many years, providing a livelihood for millions of families. Statistics from the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, have shown that the country's roughly two million weavers have had to migrate to cities or neighboring countries as business waned.
Fathollah Tousi, a member of the Economic Commission of the Parliament, said competition now comes from countries such as Turkey, China and Afghanistan taking over a trade once dominated by Iran, with Germany, the United States, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates among the main consumers.
Authored by Farzad Poursaeed and originally titled "Elections and National Security in the Islamic Republic," the study was re-published by the Iranian official news agency (IRNA) under the headline: "National security and the double-edged sword of elections."
According to IRNA, most of the threats associated with the upcoming elections stem from the country's political structure.
The study, employing careful language due to government restrictions, suggests that while free and fair elections could enhance national security by ensuring comprehensive representation and peaceful resolution of people's demands, previous elections have often led to periods of street unrest in Iran over the past decade.
Additionally, the study highlights the lack of political parties in Iran as a major source of instability, posing a significant threat to the regime.
Furthermore, the study emphasizes that well-conducted elections can confer legitimacy on the regime by enabling the appointment of competent officials while removing inefficient and corrupt individuals. Criticism of inefficiency and corruption within the government has been voiced by many insiders in recent years.
Moreover, the study asserts that good elections foster solidarity between the people and the government. However, it fails to acknowledge widespread commentary in the Iranian media about the growing gap between citizens and the government, exacerbated by the government's failure to address demands following the 2022 nationwide protests.
Recent observations suggest that this gap is a primary factor contributing to declining voter turnout in Iranian elections. Additionally, the study notes that political instability resulting from the exclusion of certain political factions from the electoral process is a fundamental flaw in Iran's election system, leading to short-lived and sporadic political party activities.
Meanwhile, prominent Iranian economist Hossein Raghfar said in an interview with Rouydad24 that the prevailing dissatisfaction in the Iranian society is a product of the system of governance in Iran. Raghfar accused infiltrators and profiteers within the Iranian government of exacerbating social problems through illogical policies, resulting in unemployment, recession, inflation, poverty, and inequality. He warns that these conditions will inevitably lead to social unrest.
In the meantime, the government remains unresponsive even to prominent regime insiders such as former president Hassan Rouhani. On Thursday, the former president wrote his 3rd letter to the Guardian Council calling on the ultraconservatives in charge to explain why they have disqualified him from running in the next round of the Assembly of Experts elections on Friday. The only answer he got was that the Council only responds to complaints and Rouhani's letters were not categorized as such.
In another development, the liberal National Front of Iran announced on the same day that it will not take part in the March 1 election, calling it "unreal" and "unhealthy". Announcing the boycott, the National Front said that free political parties, freedom of assembly, freedom of press and media, do not exist in the Islamic Republic and citizens cannot vote for the candidates of their choosing.
While the media remains under government censorship, hundreds of dissidents are either in prison or face indictments. Most Reformist and relatively moderate candidates have been barred from competing in these elections.