Al-Monitor | Maysam Bizaer: Iran's�capital city hosted the world�s largest and most prestigious�handmade carpet exhibition�Aug. 23-29. Hamid Kargar, the head of Iran National Carpet Center, told Al-Monitor, �About 730 companies from across Iran and dozens of carpet traders from across the globe participated in the 26th Iran Handmade Carpet Exhibition.� He added, �Among them were more than 90 international businessmen, including 14 Americans and 14 Japanese, who�came to Iran for the first time.�


The world-renowned Persian carpet, which is widely believed to have been around for more than�2,500 years, is deeply rooted in the Iranian national identity. There is probably no home in the country where at least one rug isn�t part of either the flooring or decoration.

As the world�s largest producer and exporter of�handwoven carpets, Iran produces three quarters of total global output. According to Kargar, �About�3 million square meters�of carpets are woven in the country every year, 65% of which is�exported to about 80 countries�across the globe.�

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