Piles of plush carpets line the floors of a northern Iraq shopping center hosting traders from neighboring Iran, who hope the spangle of their ornate handicrafts might offer a lifeline out of poverty.
In their own country, the economy is in tatters amid crippling US sanctions.
“Our money is so devalued, so when we come to this side apart from the cultural exchange that we share from a financial perspective it’s more profitable for us,” said Iranian Ramiyar Parwiz, the organizer of the exhibition who is originally from Sanandaj. “The money we receive, whether in dollars or dinars, has a