According to figures published by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), $700 million worth of carpets were exported over the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20), Mehr news agency reported. With the Iranian hand-woven carpets included in the list of sanctions imposed by the United States, Iran’s role in the international carpet market has diminished in recent years. However, it is anticipated that with the removal of sanctions the export of both machine-made and hand-woven carpets will double in the next 2 years. Meanwhile, head of the rural hand-woven carpets’ cooperatives union announced that a 200% tariff on carpet imports has been set by the government in form of a new parliamentary legislation, Fars news agency reported. Mohammad Baharvand described the recent move as an effective measure that could increase domestic production. However, some believe that with such tariffs it will not be profitable for the traders to import carpets, which could in turn give rise to smuggling.
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