| Selling the nation’s patrimony? How fortunate, then, that there is so many thousands of years of it. |
Republiclooks to art market both as revenue stream and as way of advancing its ideological agenda while simultaneously legitimizing itself on world stage.
As Iran continues to bear the brunt of punishing economic sanctions imposed by the United States, the regime is exploring creative new ways to raise much-needed capital. Among the strategies: exporting art.
"The international sanctions against Iran exclude cultural products," Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi was quoted by Jordanian media as saying last week during a festival in Tehran. "We should take the export of art products seriously and use this opportunity."