Safety in Iran

Overall: Iran is a calm country where crime is rarer than in most European capitals. Evening walks are safe as long as you respect local rules and do not go looking for trouble.

Politics: The situation can escalate quickly, so follow the news and read your own government's travel advisory before and during the trip. Stay away from demonstrations and do not discuss politics with people you have just met.

Photography: Photographing military bases, police and ministries is forbidden. Even a station or a bridge can be off limits, so put the camera away if you see uniforms or a wire perimeter.

Being overcharged: The usual trick with tourists involves confusion between rials and tomans. Use Snapp for cars, which eliminates negotiation with inventive drivers and guarantees a fair price.

Dress code: Clothing rules are compulsory in public. A woman without a headscarf risks an encounter with the morality police and a fine. Men must not wear shorts under any circumstances.

Healthcare: Care in the cities is good but expensive for foreigners. Always carry insurance that explicitly covers Iran, because without it neither state clinics nor private centres will treat you.

Iran is a country of exceptional hospitality and a very difficult situation. Street crime is low and deception is rare, but the legal and political risks for a foreigner are high.

Currency exchange is the main practical subject. An official rate and a real market rate exist, differing several-fold. International cards do not work in Iran at all because of sanctions: Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay — none. Bring cash euros or dollars for the whole trip and change them at exchange offices (sarafi) rather than banks. In practice: budget in advance and bring a surplus, because there will be nowhere to draw more.

Taxis. No meters; prices are agreed. The Snapp app, a local ride-hailing service, settles the question.

Carpets. Haggling in Isfahan and Tabriz is compulsory and lengthy. A separate theme is the promise to "ship it home", which is sometimes not kept. Buy what you can carry.

Taarof. Iranian courtesy: a seller or driver may say no payment is needed. This is a ritual refusal — you must pay, and insisting is part of the etiquette.

The dress code is compulsory for all women, foreigners included. A headscarf covering the hair, long sleeved clothing, loose cut. It applies in all public places. Enforcement has varied and remains a tense subject within the country.

Alcohol is banned completely. Import, possession and consumption. Penalties include corporal punishment.

Drugs. Among the harshest laws in the world, and the death penalty for trafficking is applied.

Photography. Military installations, government buildings, police, airports and nuclear facilities are categorically off limits. This is one of the main causes of foreigners' detention.

Dual nationality. Iran does not recognise a second nationality for its citizens. People of Iranian descent enter as Iranian citizens, and another country's consular protection does not extend to them. Dual nationals have been detained repeatedly.

Detention of foreigners. A separate and serious subject: foreign nationals have been held for long periods on espionage accusations. The risk is higher for journalists, researchers and dual nationals.

Israel. An Israeli stamp means refusal of entry.

Politics and religion. Do not discuss them at all, publicly or online.

Same-sex relations are criminalised with extremely severe penalties.

Vaccinations. None mandatory. Hepatitis A and typhoid are advised.

Water. Tap water in Tehran and the large cities is drinkable and of good quality. In rural areas, bottled is better.

Healthcare. Iranian medicine is of a high standard with well-trained doctors and low prices; the country is known for medical tourism. The key difficulty lies elsewhere: treatment cannot be paid for by card, only in cash, and international insurance often does not function because of sanctions. Assume you will cover medical costs yourself and in cash.

Medicines. Imported drugs are in short supply because of sanctions. Bring your own with a surplus.

Tehran's air. Winter smog sits in the basin below the mountains for weeks, with high readings.

Heat. Summer in Yazd, Kerman and the south passes 45°C. Desert routes are for spring and autumn.

Earthquakes. The country is seismically active.

Emergency numbers: 110 police, 115 ambulance.

Street crime in Iran is low and an ordinary trip passes calmly. Iranian hospitality is no myth: invitations into homes and help from strangers occur constantly.

But the legal risks are high. The danger to a foreigner comes not from criminals but from enforcement: photography, conversations, accidentally being caught up in a gathering.

Morality police. They enforce the dress code and behavioural norms. Their powers and activity have varied, but the clothing requirements remain.

Protests. They occur periodically and are suppressed firmly. A foreigner should leave the area immediately, and filming such events is extremely dangerous.

Consular assistance. Several countries have no embassy in Tehran, and the capacity to help a detainee is limited. For people of Iranian descent, protection is essentially absent.

Border regions. Sistan and Balochistan on the Pakistani border and the Kurdish areas near Iraq are high-risk zones; people do not go there.

What actually matters. Iran is touristically magnificent and physically safe. All the risks lie in the legal sphere, and all of them are manageable through discipline: photograph nothing sensitive, do not discuss politics, observe the dress code, and avoid any gathering.