TEHRAN -- Iran has registered 56 cities and 35 villages as national handicraft centers, with 18 of the designations awarded over the past two years, according to Narges Rajaei, director general of handicrafts education and promotion at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran.
Rajaei said that nine cities and nine villages have been added to the national handicraft register between August 2024 and August 2026, recognizing distinctive craft traditions and strengthening their position within Iran’s handicraft sector.
Among the newly designated cities are Meymand in Fars Province, recognized for glassmaking; Rāyen in Kerman Province, for knife-making; Ardakan in Yazd Province, for traditional textile weaving; Aligoodarz in Lorestan Province, for chogha weaving; Mamaqan and Kuzeh-Kanan in East Azerbaijan Province, respectively for Mamqandouzi embroidery and traditional pottery; Izeh and Shadegan in Khuzestan Province, for kilim weaving and mat weaving; and Bafruiyeh in Yazd Province, for motabi - a traditional craft involving the twisting of different types of hair to produce strong, durable yarns.
The designations are intended to identify areas with distinctive handicraft expertise and support the development and promotion of their local craft traditions.
Nine villages have also been designated national handicraft villages.
They include Ruin in North Khorasan Province, recognized for chador-shab weaving; Bahmani in Hormozgan Province, for