What beautiful rugs! Skilled craftspeople sell them in the Kashan bazaar in Iran. It takes months to make just one. So . . . why aren’t people buying them?

In Iran, weavers pass skills from generation to generation. Workers dye thread with vine leaves, pomegranate skins, and walnut husks. They weave flowers, plants, animals, and even scenes from history. Weavers use a traditional technique: the Persian knot. And buyers get a traditional treasure: a Persian rug.

Two decades ago, Iran earned close to $2 billion each year by selling Persian rugs to other parts of the world. But the past year brought in less than $50 million.

What changed?

Iran’s relationship with Western countries such as the United States changed. The United States won’t buy from Iran. And it’s not the first time. Watching the relationship of Iran and the United States is like riding a roller coaster!

Buckle up. Here are a few highlights.

1979: Islamic rulers overthrow Iran’s government. They oppress Iranian people. American citizens are held hostage in Iran. The United States stops importing Iranian goods—including rugs.

2000: President Bill Clinton reduces bans on Iranian rugs, caviar, and pistachios.

2010: U.S. leaders grow concerned about Iran’s nuclear weapons. The United States again bans Iranian-made rugs.

2015: Iran makes a deal with world powers, shrinking the amount of uranium it keeps. (Such uranium is used for nuclear weapons.) The rug trade is allowed once again.

2018: President Donald Trump withdraws the United States from the nuclear deal. Iran makes more enriched uranium. The carpet makers’ goods are again banned under U.S. law.

Why? God says governments are meant for people’s good. But unwise or corrupt policies of a government can add to people’s suffering.