Istanbul, Turkey — The high number of buyers from Iran was the real surprise at Evteks this year as they prepare themselves for what they hope would be the beginning of an Iranian business boom!

Tehran based Mehdi and Hadi Farahji, two brothers long involved in the upholstered furniture industry in Iran “see the coming uptick in business if the nuclear weapons agreement between the USA and Iran is signed between the two countries. We have represented Persan for 27 years within our ‘Silk Road piecegoods business of 30 years,” Mehdi says

The brothers’ new company is called ’12 Chairs Furniture Company,’ named after a book by the Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov. The book was made into a movie starring Mel Brooks years ago.  Apparently, the story talks about how jewels were hidden in one of 12 chairs that were taken from a house and widely distributed so that nobody knew where to look for the treasure. Mehdi and Hadi Farahji

The Farahji’s base their new company on the romanticism of that story. They also buy piecegoods and give the customer a choice in how they want their upholstery finished, all at the same location including the factory which produces the furniture.

Their factory is called Rah-Abrisham Furniture.

“We are expecting this agreement to be signed and we look forward to the business that will come from it,” Mehdi says.

“We’re hoping for a more liberal economy to open up in Iran,” says Shirzad Mohammad Pour, owner of Marz Gostaran Co., a Tehran based fabric wholesaler. He was part of a seven man wholesale entourage who shopped the Aydin Tekstil upholstery line at Evteks. “We need more freedom,” he adds.

Feriba Firlizan is the sales representative for Aydin covering Iran. The Iranian contingent would like to start buying more goods from Turkish suppliers like Aydin but they are waiting for the green light from their Government. The group at Aydin represent the bulk of the fabric wholesale trade in Iran today, it was learned by F&FI.

“Turkey is important for the economic future of Iran,” Mohammad Pour feels. “We’re more comfortable buying from Turkish suppliers than from buying goods in China even though many fabrics are made in China today.” Most of the goods bought for Iranian customers are cheaper qualities from China but this may change with the agreement and Turkish mills will gain the most.

While the Iranians were shopping lines, they were not yet placing orders in May because they want to see an actual agreement in force before September before they commit themselves. Nevertheless, hopes for an agreement are high with the Iranian wholesalers and they are looking forward to a business upswing as a result.

In a related move, Burlington Technologies has also announced it will open a showroom in Dubai featuring the Keystone, Bentex and Seven upholstery lines. This decision was based in part on the possibilities of doing business in Iran, according to Bob McKinnon, Chairman of the Burlington Technologies fabric group.

Houssam Rayess, the longtime fabrics importer from Lebanon, manages the showroom. “Sam” Rayess previously managed an operation for American Decorative Fabrics for the Middle East and prior to that was Middle East Export Manager for Quaker Fabrics Inc.