Tasnim � Iran has recently begun exporting handicrafts to some western countries, including the United States and Britain, an official with the country�s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) announced on Saturday.

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, the director-general of ICHTO�s Handicraft Exports Department, Pouya Mahmoudian, said the country has managed to �dramatically� increase exports of handicrafts not only to the Persian Gulf littoral states but also to some European countries.

�Among the European Union countries, Germany has the largest share of our exports of handicrafts,� she noted.

�After many years, we succeeded in exporting our products to countries like the US, Britain, the Netherlands, and Spain,� she added.

Iran has stepped up efforts in recent years to enhance its non-oil exports and reduce dependency on its oil revenues.

In 2014, the country�s exports of commodities and natural-gas condensate reached $50 billion, showing a 19 percent increase.

There was also a boom in Iran�s service exports in diverse sectors, including tourism, engineering, and transit.