Iran's Ilam province eyes Baghdad market for handicraft exports

TEHRAN, Iran — TEHRAN — The western Iranian province of Ilam is preparing to export handicrafts to the Iraqi market, with Baghdad identified as the primary destination, according to the province's cultural heritage directorate. Farzad Sharifi, director general of Ilam's Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts department, told Mehr news agency that the province organized 46 handicraft exhibitions in Iraqi cities over the past year as part of a broader strategy to expand Tehran's commercial presence in neighboring markets. Sharifi said memoranda of understanding have been signed with several Iraqi cities, led by Baghdad, to ease logistics and customs barriers and ensure the uninterrupted flow of handicraft products. Provincial officials plan to turn Ilam, which shares an active border crossing with Iraq, into a logistics hub for managing handicraft exports. Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Ministry data shows the handicrafts sector in Ilam provides employment for around 30,000 people. The Iranian government is preparing to channel financing to the sector through budget allocations under Articles 15 and 18, which support small and home-based projects. Handicraft sales to Iraqi and foreign visitors during last season's Arbaeen pilgrimage reached 8 billion tomans, roughly $130,000–$150,000 at market rates. Provincial authorities said revenues are expected to rise this year as exhibition spaces along the border routes are expanded.