According to globalsciencellc, Iran (Persian: ایران ) is a country in the Middle East (Asia) bordering Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The capital of Iran is Tehran. Some major cities in Iran are: Mashhad, Tabriz, Shiraz, Abadan, Kerman, Zahedan, Qom and Hamadan.
Iran is known for its rich history. The country used to be known as Persia. You will find ancient temples, palaces, castles, ruins and mosques all over the country. Iran consists largely of desert and mountain areas. In the mountains you can ski in the winter months. Iran also has several tourist beaches and a number of National Parks (16) where, among other things, the rare cheetah occurs. The country’s economy is largely dependent on petroleum and natural gas extraction. Iran has always been a trading country and you can still see that in the many bazaars and markets. See thenailmythology for Iran as a tourism country.
Where is Iran located?
Travel information of Iran
Official name: Islamic Republic of Iran
Continent: Asia
Area: 1,648,195 km²
Capital: Tehran (Tehran)
Country code: IR, IRN
Population: 84,923,314 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Islamic Republic
Highest point: 5,610 m (Damavand)
Distance (Amsterdam – Tehran): 4,073 km
Flight time: approximately 5 hours
Negative travel advice
Current status: All trips to Iran are discouraged.
Current color code: Red. Due to this status, a negative travel advice
is in effect for Iran.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Iran that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Iran, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Iran. In addition, you will find hotels and airline tickets with which you can put together your ideal trip.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Iran?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Iran at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Iran has both a temperate and a desert climate. In the summer months the temperatures are around 25 to 45 degrees. In the winter months, temperatures are around 10 to -10 degrees. In the mountain areas, temperatures are about 10 degrees lower.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Iran can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Iran can be found at Climate info.
Best time
April, May, September and October are the best months to travel to Iran. This avoids the dry hot summer months and the mild to cold winter months.
Language
Persian is the official language in Iran. In addition, Azeri, Kurdish and Luri are spoken. A small part of the population speaks English.
Would you like to translate from or into Persian for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months before leaving Iran.
A visa is required. You can apply for this in person at the Iranian embassy in The Hague.
In addition, you must have an invitation letter from Iran (usually arranged by the tour operator).
Note: Your passport cannot contain an Israeli stamp.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Iran: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Iran in the Netherlands: thehague.mfa.ir.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Iran, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Iran. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Iran, payments are made with the Iranian Rial (IRR).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Iran can be found on our ATMs page. However, these do not accept Dutch bank cards.
Price level
Prices in Iran are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -48% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (62% cheaper), food (41% cheaper), imported beer in catering (64% cheaper), cigarettes (61% cheaper) and public transport (93% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Iran it is customary to give a tip of approximately 5%.
Time difference
In Iran it is 2.5 hours later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Iran differs from that in the Netherlands.
The local time, date, time zone and exceptions for Iran can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Iran you have to drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Iran, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Iran.
Electricity
In Iran the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Iran can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 110
– Fire brigade: 125
– Ambulance: 115
With a mobile phone you can also use the international number 112.
Tap water
In the larger cities, tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Iran can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Iran can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Iran end in.ir.
Official websites of Iran: visitiran.ir and mfa.gov.ir.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Iran is 0098 or +98.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Iran? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
All Iran area codes can be found at howtocallabroad.com.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Iran.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Iran.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Iran.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Iran can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotel), restaurants and destinations in Iran, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Iran?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Iran. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Iran can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Iran can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Iran? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, perfume and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to Iran.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Iran, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Iran, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, current sanctions, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Iran.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking prohibited.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Not allowed (death penalty).
Did you know that…
…Oil and gas exports are Iran’s main sources of income?
…Iran was called Persia by the Dutch until 1935?
…Twelver Shiism is the state religion of Iran?
…Iran produces the most pistachio nuts in the world?
…More than 30,000 Iranians died in an earthquake in 2003?
…Satellite TVs are banned in Iran?
