Tehran, Iran
Tourists from 28 countries will stop in Iran without a visa starting Monday as the Persian Gulf country seeks to revive its tourism industry.
The countries whose citizens are exempt from visa to Iran are Japan, Brazil, India, Mexico, Peru, Indonesia, Singapore, Cuba, Tunisia and Tanzania.
In line with the Ebrahim Raisi government’s “friendly neighborhood” policy, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and some Central Asian countries are included in the list announced through the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Last year, Iran restored its diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia after seven years following marathon negotiations between the arch-foes mediated by Iraq, Oman and China.
Tehran has also buried the hatchet with the UAE and Kuwait and has been engaged in hectic diplomacy to revive ties with Bahrain.
The list also indicates Iran’s inclination to strengthen both diplomatic and cultural ties with countries in Latin America, South Asia and Central Asia, say experts.
Earlier this week, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Consular Affairs Ali-Reza Bigdeli showed that citizens of 28 countries would be granted visa-free access to Iran.
The visa waiver applies to tourists traveling to Iran by air or through land borders, the official said.
Bigdeli was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency that the ministry had informed all relevant bodies of the Cabinet’s order regarding the unilateral decision.
Indian nationals can travel to Iran without obtaining a visa provided they come by air, but they would need a visa if they travel by road, he added.
Last month, Tourism Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami said the resolution to grant visa waivers was aimed at reviving the country’s tourism sector.
This comes as Iran has already granted visa-free access to citizens of Turkey, Oman, Azerbaijan, Armenia, China, Lebanon, and Syria.
After the outbreak of coronavirus in early 2020, Iran’s sanctions-battered tourism industry was hit hard, as tourist footfall plunged dramatically.
However, since mid-2023, the sector has noticed signs of recovery, according to official statistics, although the government offers other incentives, such as visa waiver, to attract foreign tourists.