Carpet imports from Iran: How sanctions and settlements work

The company has been importing carpets from Iran since the early 2000s. Previously, the main demand was for expensive hand-woven silk carpets, but now it's predominantly for machine-made ones due to declining demand in the premium segment. Long-standing sanctions complicated payments, but over the past two years, direct ruble payments have been introduced through the Iranian Tourist Bank, mediated by trade missions, although the high volatility of the real creates problems for the Iranian side.

Contacts with suppliers were established through trips to Iran, personal connections, and work in bazaars. The language barrier is partially mitigated by the entrepreneurs' English proficiency. Businesses take into account the specific working hours in Iran and the potential sanctions risks for management when traveling to Europe, and avoid unnecessary trips to Iran due to regional instability and the risk of flight delays.