Sanctions, hobbled economy hit Iran's traditional carpet weavers hard

An Iranian woman weaves a carpet at a workshop in the city of Kashan, Iran, about 245 kilometers south of the capital, Tehran, April 30, 2024. Iranian carpet shop owner Ali Faez works at his shop at the traditional bazaar of the city of Kashan, Iran, about 245 kilometers south of the capital, Tehran, April 30, 2024. Batches of freshly dyed thread for handwoven carpets dry in the sun at a workshop at the traditional bazaar of the city of Kashan, Iran, about 245 kilometers south of the capital, Tehran, April 30, 2024.

The historic Kashan bazaar in central Iran once sat on a major caravan route, its silk carpets known the world over. But for the weavers trying to sell their rugs under its ancient arches, their world has only unraveled since the collapse of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers and wider tensions with the West.