TEHRAN (IRIB) - Iranian handicrafts rank first in the world in terms of variety, said the deputy head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization.
Bahman Namvar-Motlaq put the number of handicrafts branches in Iran at 250, noting that Iran, India and China are the top three countries in this respect.
"No other industry has such a high job creation capacity. While, in other industries at least $250,000 is required to create each job, in the handicrafts industry, the same is possible only with $3,125."
Handicrafts represent the identity and indicate the historical background of the countries, he noted.
"They remind us of the traditions of our ancestors. Earlier, handicrafts made up a major portion of Iran's non-oil exports. However, due to a number of problems, Iran currently ranks 30th in the world in this respect."
Iran has a favorable position in the world in term of the variety in handicrafts, he said.
"Unhealthy competition in foreign markets is one of the reasons for the decline in Iran's ranking compared to other exporters."
Namvar-Motlaq pointed out that Qom Province is a suitable market for Iranian handicrafts.