Is Iran a safe to travel? Tips you DON’T know!

“Is it safe to travel to Iran?” it’s a very frequent question asked by the tourists who want to visit Iran.

According to the news and the ongoing conflicts, Middle East seems to be a chaotic region. But in the middle of this chaos, Iran is by far the safest in the region. If you hear negative news about Iran in western Medias, usually you should ignore them. The reality should be heard from the tourists who they have visited Iran recently. They can be an authentic source for the answer of this question: is it safe to travel to Iran or not?

Many tourists say before their trip to Iran, their friends and relatives told them, Are you crazy to travel to Iran? Why Iran? Are you sure about your trip? It’s not safe! They came to Iran with doubt. But after their trip to Iran, they usually describe it as one of the safest countries they’ve ever visited. Some of them say “Iran is much safer than travelling in Europe“.

According to 2019 travel risk map, Iran is as safe as countries like Denmark, UK, Australia and Slovenia. The travel risk map shows the danger level in each country and territory based on the current threat posed to travelers by political violence (including terrorism, insurgency, politically motivated unrest and war), social unrest (including sectarian, communal and ethnic violence) and violent and petty crime.

Violent crime against tourists is very rare. Usually you see people who are really friendly and ask about your nationality and your experience in Iran. Of course, even if Iran is safe, you need to be careful like in every other place. Use your common sense, follow the rules (and there are pretty many of them in Iran but still nothing too overwhelming), respect local culture and people and you shouldn’t have any problems!

There are some points that you should consider when you travel to Iran:

Always keep your important things like passport, money, camera and precious stuff whit yourself.
For women travelers, like anywhere, it pays to be cautious and avoid situations where you are alone with a man you don’t know.
Despite other countries, Couch Surfing is illegal in Iran. It’s better to avoid doing it because it can cause misusing you in many situations. If you are looking for local experiences, you can stay in hostels which often run by families.
Always be cautious of strangers who ask strange questions like the amount of cash you have with yourself, your passport details and etc. Always ask for the ID card from anybody who is calling himself a police or an undercover cop.
It is forbidden to take pictures or videos with drone in urban areas. For your safety it’s better not to bring your drone.
Be careful about the signs “No Photography”, “No Camera” in the roads and even in the cities. Taking pictures in these places can cause you in trouble.
Always keep some copies of your passport’s first page and your Iranian visa with you as some hotels are going to keep your passport.
If you are in a situation that you don’t know what to do, ask your travel agent, tourists guide or your Iranian friends about it.