TEHRAN (Iran News) Speaking during a meeting with the Mayor of Bukhara, Tabibzadeh noted the long-standing heritage of both cities in the carpet industry, stating that while their traditional position has faded, there is an opportunity to rebuild it through a shared value chain for production, processing, and export of handmade carpets. He proposed the creation of a joint Kerman-Bukhara Carpet Market aimed at reviving the historical identity and increasing global trade in authentic handmade rugs.

He added that a thorough review of cooperation areas between Kerman and Bukhara should be undertaken. Highlighting the cultural ties between the two cities, he suggested tourism could benefit from this relationship, as Kerman offers numerous attractions likely to appeal to Uzbek visitors.

Tabibzadeh also proposed health tourism as a mutual opportunity, citing Kerman’s skilled medical professionals and advanced healthcare infrastructure. Given that many Uzbek citizens currently travel to countries such as India, Pakistan, and Turkey for treatment, he argued that promoting medical tourism to Kerman could be highly beneficial.

Mining was another common ground identified. Tabibzadeh proposed forming a joint team to explore new mineral resources such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, and called on high-tech and knowledge-based companies to collaborate in this field. He also mentioned agricultural cooperation, including overseas farming projects and skilled labor exchange as additional areas for partnership.

During the same meeting, Jamshid Khodayev, Mayor of Bukhara, emphasized the strong ties between Iran and Uzbekistan. He pointed out that 150 Uzbek businesspeople recently participated in the Iran Expo trade exhibition, followed by visits to various Iranian cities for face-to-face meetings with officials and industry leaders.

Khodayev suggested that Iranian exporters could use Uzbekistan as a strategic route for exporting goods to the European Union with significantly lower tariffs. He highlighted areas of potential economic cooperation between Bukhara and Kerman, including iodine production, sugar and cotton industries, carpet weaving, copper and oil refinery products, leather processing, irrigation systems, and construction materials.

Key proposals from the meeting included setting up a “Kerman Desk” at the Bukhara Chamber of Commerce and a reciprocal “Bukhara Desk” in Kerman, aimed at tracking joint projects and facilitating connections between businesses, investors, and local officials. Plans were also discussed for hosting cultural weeks in each city to showcase their artistic, historical, culinary, and tourism assets and to strengthen cultural ties.

Further initiatives included organizing trade delegations in sectors such as industry, mining, agriculture, health, and tourism, as well as holding joint exhibitions in both cities to promote local products and investment opportunities.

Finally, the meeting proposed installing cultural and tourism-themed billboards in Kerman and Bukhara to introduce citizens to each city’s contemporary and historical identity and to foster public awareness and friendship.

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IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK

TEHRAN – Head of Iran’s National Carpet Center Ms. Farahnaz Rafe says the outbreak of coronavirus has affected the carpet market in the country and it has inflicted losses on carpet weaving workshops and threatens this sector.

On the outbreak of coronavirus and its impacts on the carpet economy of the country, Mr. Rafe said that most people involved in the carpet industry in the country do not have monthly salaries and they are mostly get daily-base wages and they get salary based on their performance in a month.

She admitted that carpet market has been badly in recession in recent days, adding that carpet shop owners and vendors have not ever experienced such a recession in their business on the eve of Nowruz (New Year) which will begin next Friday.

Rafe went on to say that most vendors and people in this business nowadays are unable to observe their financial obligations and they will definitely face many financial problems.

She noted that most hand-woven carpet weavers pay their insurance premium to the Social Welfare Organization by themselves at the end of every month and due to this hardship and almost halt in the business in the workshops, they are unable to pay it easily.

Rafe added that most of women active in this business are caretakers of their households and they will suffer more.

She said the National Carpet Center monitors carefully the effects of coronavirus on the national economy and it is working on solutions to overcome the woe.

She reiterated coronavirus has affected all businesses in the country and even in the world, and the center in collaboration with ministry of industry works to reduce negative impacts of this virus on the economy especially on hand-woven carpet industry.

In January, Rafe replaced Fereshteh Dastpak who had been the head of INCC since May 2018.

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