Hamed Hassannejad and his wife Nastaran Rajabzadeh Samani were due to fly directly from Tehran to Kunming to attend this year’s China-South Asia Expo — but war had other plans.
When Hamed Hassannejad and his wife Nastaran Rajabzadeh Samani prepared to fly directly from Tehran to southwestern China to attend this year’s China-South Asia Expo, they hadn’t banked on it becoming a six-day-long ordeal.
But on the morning of June 13, after Israel launched an airstrike on Iran, that’s exactly what happened. In response to the attack, Iran immediately closed its airspace and grounded all civil aviation, just as Hamed and Nastaran were preparing to board their flight to Kunming, provincial capital of Yunnan, with their goods in tow.
“When I left my hometown (in Isfahan), it was last Monday morning,” Hamed told state-owned media CGTN. “I drove to the border of Iran and Turkey by car. During the trip, we encountered a lot of bombing. My wife was terrified.”
“Because of the bombing, there was no gas — all the gas stations were closed. … That was terrible. Sometimes we drove; sometimes, when there was bombing, we went to shelters,” Hamed recalled, exhaling deeply, eyes tearing up.
To make things even worse, at some point during the 14-hour drive to the Turkish border, the couple’s car broke down, forcing them to travel the remainder by foot.
“I had some carpets with me,” said Hamed, recounting the journey with an incredulous smile. “But Turkey didn’t let me bring them in.”
The couple then returned to the Iranian border, where they sent the carpets home by bus. Luckily, they had arranged to send the majority of their wares by air to Shanghai prior to Israel’s attacks.
Determined to make it to China themselves, they walked back across the border and boarded a long-distance bus to Istanbul — as no flights were operating — a grueling 26-hour ride.
“When I finally got to Istanbul, I discovered that the internet in Iran had completely collapsed,” he said, recalling the fraught days in which he had lost connection with his family, his wife beside him wiping away tears. From there, they caught a 10-hour flight to Shanghai, then another three-hour flight to Kunming.
“That was Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday,” Hamed said, shaking his head and his voice catching, eyes red with exhaustion. “It took me six days to get here.”
At 4 p.m. on June 21, halfway into the Expo, the two finally stood behind their booth, displaying a vibrant assortment of handmade fabrics and delicately carved copper plates from their hometown Isfahan.
Running June 19 to 24, the 9th China-South Asia Expo saw hundreds of traders and cultural delegates travel to Kunming. Each year, the event serves as a key platform for economic and cultural exchange, especially between China and countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and, increasingly, West Asia.
When Hamed and his wife finally set up their booth, their eye-catching wares quickly drew attention. However, many potential customers left empty-handed, not because they didn’t want to buy, but because Hamed was unable to initiate a digital payment platform — nearly essential in today’s widely cashless China — partly due to international sanctions on Iran.
Hamed Hassannejad and his wife Nastaran Rajabzadeh Samani at this year’s China-South Asia Expo, Kunming, Yunnan province, June 24, 2025. Courtesy of Zhang Hanyuan
He went around asking fellow vendors, almost pleading, if anyone could help exchange cash. Few could. In the meantime, his and his wife’s story — of long detours, missed connections, and persistence — began circulating online.
By Sunday, word had spread. Crowds began flocking in to buy from the couple. Volunteers and nearby vendors stepped in to assist with mobile payments and exchanging cash, with some even buying for netizens who couldn’t make it to the site.
While the significant on- and offline attention was new, Hamed isn’t a stranger to the China-South Asia Expo. After attending the very first event in 2013, he began focusing his business efforts in China, with the country over the years becoming a key market for his handmade goods.
However, this was the first time he had been joined by his wife, Nastaran. Before their departure, amid the tense geopolitical climate and days of travel chaos, he had offered her quiet reassurance.
“I told her, don’t worry, there is no war here.”
At the booth, Hamed proudly held up an intricate and colorful blanket, boasting, “This was made by my wife. She’s an artist, and she wanted to bring the colors of Iran to China.” He emphasized that she only uses natural dyes, and that every item was made entirely by hand.
Determined to make the most of the Expo, he and Nastaran carefully arranged their crafts, and even lowered prices on some to attract buyers.
“If we didn’t come,” Hamed said, “all the money we invested would be wasted — and it would affect our family’s livelihood too.”
Zhang Hanyuan, a 33-year-old financial investor based in Kunming, and his wife, are lovers of Arabic furnishings and visit the Expo every year to shop. When he visited Hamed’s stall on Monday, the penultimate day of the Expo, their 400-plus goods had almost sold out, including the handmade plates and vases Zhang had intended to buy.
Zhang mentioned Hamed’s prices being reasonable, but with no digital payment option, returning change caused some problems.
“For example, if a blanket cost 320 yuan ($45), but they didn’t have change, the husband would just waive the extra 20 and take 300 instead,” Zhang told Sixth Tone. “People were pretty nice about it; no one really haggled over prices.”
An attendee surnamed Sun told domestic media that she spent 600 yuan on two tablecloths at Hamed’s booth.
“Everyone simply wanted to help a couple who had gone through so much to come here from a war-torn country,” Sun said. “They just wanted to make a little money, and we were all willing to help fulfill that wish.”
At the corner of Hamed’s stall, Zhang spotted some gift-boxed tea and snacks. “They’re obviously packages sent from kindhearted netizens,” Zhang said.
Upon saying goodbye, Zhang asked Hamed whether he would return to Kunming next year.
“Of course — if we’re still alive,” Hamed replied, smiling gently.
Editor: Tom Arnstein.
(Header image: Hamed Hassannejad (middle) and his wife Nastaran Rajabzadeh Samani at this year’s China-South Asia Expo, Kunming, Yunnan province, June 24, 2025. Courtesy of Zhang Hanyuan)