Art and craft

Iran is named among world’s top three handicrafts producers, and is ranked 30th in handicraft exports. Iranian artists are known for their intricate calligraphy (fine handwriting), miniatures (paintings), and metalwork.

Perhaps the country’s most famous craft is the weaving of Persian rugs. In 2015, the ancient Iranian cities of Isfahan and Tabriz were accredited with the title ‘World Crafts City’ by the World Crafts Council (WCC).

Isfahan has set up a number of workshops and has become a center of multiple crafts being practiced for generations, such as miniature arts, metal engraving, marquetry, wood engraving, enamel, brocade weaving, and carpets etc. The city is full of museums and architectural monuments embodying marvelous crafts like ceramic, glass, metal and wood works. Tabriz is also the most important and biggest carpet producing city of Iran and the world, playing an important role in the development and creativity of traditional arts and carpets. There are more than 100,000 carpet weavers in Tabriz, who are supported by another 200,000 people engaged in peripheral activities aiding carpet making.

Iran was once the world’s biggest carpet exporter, but the industry has been hampered by the Western sanctions and competition from Indian, Pakistani and Chinese copies of traditional Iranian patterns.