can egyptian travel to iran

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Traveling from Egypt to Iran: An Overview

Traveling from Egypt to Iran offers an exciting opportunity to explore the rich cultural heritage, historical sites, and natural beauty of a country known for its warm hospitality. Iran is a diverse destination that attracts travelers with its ancient cities, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture. This guide will outline the key steps and considerations for planning a trip from Egypt to Iran. Stay with Hey Persia to learn more.

Visa and Entry Requirements for Traveling from Egypt to Iran

Visa for iranian travel.

Egyptian citizens planning to visit Iran must obtain a visa before their trip. The visa application process typically involves submitting an application to the Iranian embassy or consulate in Egypt. It’s advisable to start this process well in advance of your intended travel date, as visa processing times may vary.

The required documents for an Iranian visa often include a completed visa application form, a valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond your planned departure date, passport-sized photos, and a visa fee. Additionally, you may be required to provide a travel itinerary, proof of accommodation reservations, and travel insurance.

Iranian Visa Types

Iran offers various types of visas, including tourist visas, business visas, and transit visas. Ensure you apply for the correct type of visa that aligns with the purpose of your trip. Tourist visas are the most common choice for travelers.

Visa and Entry Requirements for Traveling from Egypt to Iran

Choosing Your Travel Route before Traveling from Egypt to Iran

The most common and convenient way to travel from Egypt to Iran is by air. Several airlines operate flights between Cairo International Airport (CAI) and major Iranian cities such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. Flight durations can vary, with direct flights typically taking around 2 to 3 hours.

Overland Travel

While it is technically possible to travel overland from Egypt to Iran through neighboring countries, this route can be complex, time-consuming, and may involve crossing multiple borders with their respective entry requirements and potential visa issues. As such, overland travel is not commonly recommended for this journey.

Travel Health Precautions in Traveling from Egypt to Iran

Vaccinations and health considerations.

Before traveling to Iran, it’s essential to check the latest health recommendations and requirements. Depending on your travel plans and previous vaccinations, you may need to update routine vaccines and consider additional vaccinations such as Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and rabies.

Travelers should also be aware of any health advisories or pandemic-related entry requirements, such as COVID-19 testing or vaccination mandates, which can change frequently.

Travel Health Precautions in Traveling from Egypt to Iran

Currency and Banking needed for Traveling from Egypt to Iran

Currency exchange.

Iran uses the Iranian Rial (IRR) as its official currency. It’s important to note that due to international sanctions, Iran faces restrictions on its banking system, and accessing foreign currency within Iran can be challenging. As a result, many travelers opt to bring sufficient foreign currency (usually USD or euros) in cash to exchange upon arrival.

Banking Services

Iran has a network of banks and ATMs, but these may not always be accessible to foreign visitors due to banking restrictions. It’s advisable to carry enough cash for your entire trip and rely on local currency for most transactions.

Cultural and Travel Tips for Traveling from Egypt to Iran

Language and communication.

The official language of Iran is Persian (Farsi). While English may be spoken to some extent in tourist areas and by younger generations, it’s helpful to learn a few basic Persian phrases and consider using translation apps or phrasebooks to enhance communication.

Respect Local Customs

Iran is a country with strong cultural and religious traditions. Visitors should be mindful of local customs, dress modestly (particularly for women), and be respectful when visiting religious sites and interacting with locals. Public displays of affection and certain behaviors may be considered offensive, so it’s essential to be culturally sensitive.

Traveling from Egypt to Iran and all the cool experience

Traveling from Egypt to Iran offers an opportunity to experience the historical, cultural, and natural wonders of this diverse country. While the visa process and travel logistics may require some planning, the journey is sure to be rewarded with unforgettable experiences. By following the necessary steps and respecting local customs, travelers can embark on a memorable adventure to Iran from Egypt.

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Egyptian Streets

Independent Media

Egyptians Can Now Travel To Iran Without A Visa

By Egyptian Streets

Iran has exempted Egyptian nationals from all visa requirements, reported Iranian newspaper PressTV .

The new exemptions, which also cover travelers with Turkish, Lebanese, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Bolivian and Syrian passports, is aimed at boosting tourism to the country.

Under the new exemptions, Egyptians and others who are exempt can stay in Iran for up to 90 days through the visa issued upon arrival.

While the latest changes have reportedly been aimed at boosting tourism, Al-Ahram reports that it may be an attempt to mend relations between Cairo and Tehran.

Egypt and Iran severed diplomatic ties following Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution. Egypt’s peace agreement with Israel also led to further tensions with Iran which culminated in Iran naming a street and mural after Khalid Islambouli, the assassin of the late President Anwar Al-Sadat.

Following Egypt’s 2011 revolution, Tehran appointed its first ambassador to Egypt in almost 30 years. This was followed by a visit by then-President Mohammed Morsi to Iran in August 2012.

However, despite rumors in 2014 following the election of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Cairo has not appointed an Ambassador to Iran. Analysts have pointed to Saudi Arabia’s position on Iran as having influenced Egypt’s decision to not rekindle diplomatic relations.

Please note: if you decide to visit Tehran, we would still recommend checking with your local Iranian embassy that you would not require a visa. The information provided comes from Iran’s leading newspapers, but at any time, visa regulations may be changed without any warning.

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[…] Egyptians Can Now Travel To Iran Without A Visa The new exemptions, which also cover travelers with Turkish, Lebanese, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Bolivian and Syrian passports, is aimed at boosting tourism to the country. Under the new exemptions, Egyptians and others who are exempt can stay in Iran for … Read more on Egyptian Streets […]

Do it Egypt, make love not war. We can use them as our allay. We can be the bridge between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Having them as our allay is better then having them as our enemy.

its “Ally” not “Allay”

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25 Things to Know Before You Visit Iran

Last Updated: February 6, 2024

We’ve been all around the world, spent a lot of time in a lot of different countries, and if there’s one thing we can honestly tell you it’s that we’ve never felt as welcomed, fascinated and humbled as we did when we visited Iran.

Iran is such an incredible country to travel. The architecture will amaze you, the friendliness of the people will leave you speechless, the culture is fascinating and the landscapes are out of this world.

Iran is also very misunderstood, with many people believing whatever propaganda they hear on the media about how dangerous or difficult it is to travel there.

Table of Contents

Iran is Safe!

There’s a lot of customs to follow, you need a visa for iran, have a head scarf in your carry-on luggage before arrival, bring a phrase book or have google translate on your phone, bring a lot of cash, the currency has two names, bring comfortable footwear, research the food and don’t just eat kebabs, bring a backpack rather than a suitcase, draw up an itinerary, but keep it flexible, let your guard down and talk to locals, always ask the price before buying, book domestic flights with your accommodation or travel agent, team up with other travellers and share tours, be on time for your appointments, the traffic is horrible, you need a vpn to access some social media platforms, there is wifi, but be patient with it, pick up a local sim card, iran has its own uber called snapp, you can drink the tap water, good coffee is hard to find, there’s a female-only carriage on the metros, what to know before you visit iran.

The truth is travelling in Iran definitely has its quirks, and being an Islamic country means there’s a few things you need to know about the religion and culture before you go so you can show absolute respect.

Luckily these are easy enough to know before you go if you do a bit of research. We spent one month travelling around Iran and learnt so much during our time there.

To help put your mind at ease about travelling in this incredible country, here’s our list of the most important things to know before you visit Iran.

All of the mainstream media outlets portray Iran as an unsafe country, somewhere that you’ll be at risk if you visit.

The mainstream media is wrong.

We did not feel unsafe once through the whole 4 weeks of us backpacking independently in Iran.

We weren’t with a tour group, had no tour guides, don’t speak the local language, took public transport and taxis, wandered the streets on our own – basically everything you shouldn’t do if you’re in a dangerous country.

And guess what? Nothing bad happened to us at all!

The Iranian people are so friendly and helpful. They want you to have a great time and tell your friends so more people will come and visit.

We were walking around one morning on a quiet street when a car passed us and turned around. A group of young people stopped the car, came up to us, and asked if we were ok or if we needed help.

Once we told them we were just looking for a coffee they pulled out their phones and started showing us where the cafes were on a map.

They even offered us a ride, and said if the cafes were closed they had coffee at their home and would love to make us some.

This is just one example of dozens of interactions that happened to us when we were in Iran. Iranians love that tourists are coming to their country and travelling around.

The locals know what the media says about them and what a lot of the world thinks of their country, and the people just want to show that they are nice, generous people.

Theft against tourists is very rare and even the Religion Police (secret police) tend to leave tourists alone.

Just be careful around the bazaars and crowed places for pickpocketing. We didn’t have any issue and didn’t hear of any other travellers having problems, but this is common sense in any busy place in the world.

With all that being said, there is a large military and police presence in Iran. Do not photograph any military areas or government buildings, and stay away from any protests if you see them.

Obviously there are some areas of Iran that are no-go zones, such as the borders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, so do your research and talk to locals if you’re thinking about going anywhere near them.

When you travel somewhere you want to take in everything about the country and its people, and that includes the culture and customs.

Iran has quite a few local customs that may take some getting used to, so it’s important to learn about them before you go so you don’t accidentally offend or disrespect anyone.

Some of the most common ones that throw tourists off are:

Women must wear hijabs (headscarves) at all times in public. They must also wear loose-fitting clothes that don’t show their figure.
Giving a thumbs-up sign is considered rude, similar to giving the middle finger in Western society.
Men can wear short-sleeved shirts, but long pants must be worn at all times.
Men and women who aren’t related shouldn’t touch either. That means no shaking hands or hugging someone of the opposite sex.
If you are travelling with your significant other, avoid any public displays of affection.
Always bring a gift if you are invited to someone’s house. Candy, pastries or flowers are fine.

Now we want to give a special mention to ta’arof – This is a hospitality trait where it’s customary for someone to refuse payment for a service, and is probably the most confusing thing for any tourist to get their head around.

Basically what happens is if you make a purchase (a souvenir, taxi ride, etc), the person may refuse your payment out of politeness. It is then up to you to insist despite their refusals that you want to pay. After two or three times they’ll then accept your money.

If they still keep refusing then perhaps you have just experienced some amazing Iranian hospitality! But chances are they’ll accept the payment once the process has been completed. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.

The locals are so lovely, that if you do something wrong someone will approach you and nicely let you know. For example, if you are a lady and your headscarf falls off without you knowing, a local will kindly let you know.

Don’t stress about getting your outfits beforehand as shopping in Iran is cheap. Just bring one headscarf and set of loose-fitting clothes, and buy more once you get there.

The culture is the best thing about visiting Iran, and after a few days, you’ll start to understand and fall in love with it just like we did.

In order to visit Iran, you’re going to need to get a tourist visa. This used to be a very difficult process, but luckily things have gotten easier with the introduction of visa on arrivals in 2016

On the 14th February 2016, the Ministry of Iran announced that citizens of 180 countries can now apply for VOA of 30-days at most international airports, including Tehran, Shiraz, Mashad, Tabriz and Isfahan.

There’s an exception to this rule though, and if you are from Canada, the UK or the USA, we have some bad news for you…You can only visit Iran if you join a guided tour, so no chance of getting a VOA and travelling independently.

Your tour company will help organise your visa for you.

Check out our article on how to apply for a Visa On Arrival in Iran.

You Need to Dress Appropriately

This follows on from the customs section above, but in a bit more detail.

Iran is an Islamic country, and as such you need to follow the Islamic dress code. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Women need to cover their arms, legs and head. This including a Hijab, loose long length shirt with long sleeves and pants.

Leggings or tight jeans are ok as long as your top is long and covers your bottom. When wearing pants, you need to be covered down to your ankles.

The most common way to cover your head is with a scarf. The local women wear bright colours and are very stylish with their clothing, so don’t think you need to wear all black.

Black is still worn a lot but not so much among the younger generation.

You can wear sandals. Some guesthouses and hostels will allow you to take your headscarf off on their premises but do check first.

Men aren’t allowed to wear shorts in public, so bring long, lightweight pants as the best option. T-shirts are fine to wear in public. Men can wear sandals too.

If you do wear inappropriate clothing it’s not the end of the world, and besides some angry looks from some of the older generation, you’ll probably just end up having a friendly local let you know what’s best to wear.

In Tehran, the locals push the limits in terms of what they wear in public. At the end of 2017, an uprising occurred and supposedly women were no longer required to wear the Hijab in public in Tehran, but wait until you are in the country to find out for certain.

When you land at the airport, it is respectful to put a scarf straight on your head ladies. This will cause no trouble for you by locals or the officials at the airport.

Once you’re in the air on an international flight you’ll see most young ladies take their hijab as soon as the plane leaves the ground. Just follow what the locals do.

We were quite surprised to discover that a lot of Iranians could speak a little bit of English, but that wasn’t always the case, so do yourself a favour and bring along something that can help translate English to Persian.

We always travel with Google Translate and offline languages saved on our phones, but at times having a phrasebook is the best (and most social) way to interact with people who don’t speak any English.

Remember, you are in a country that doesn’t have English as an official language, so don’t be that rude tourist that gets upset if people aren’t understanding you.

Persian (Farsi) is difficult, and no locals expect you to learn much beyond hello and thank you while you are there, but do your best anyway as a few extra words will go a long way in showing respect.

Also don’t be surprised if you are constantly invited out for tea with people so they can practice their English. If the opportunity comes up, make time for it, as it’s an amazing experience for both the local and yourself.

Don’t forget your cash when visiting Iran, as none of the ATMs in the country accepts foreign credit or debit cards thanks to the embargo. So if you forget to bring all of your cash for your entire trip, you’re out of luck.

Figure out what your usual budget is for a trip ($50 a day, $100 a day, etc), then bring a bit extra just in case. USD is best for all around the country but Euros and British Pounds are also accepted in Tehran.

There’s two exchange rates in the country – official rate and black market rate – and the black market rate is of course much better.

We actually found an exchange booth at Tehran airport that gave pretty close to the black market rate, so we traded some cash there.

As a tip don’t exchange all of your foreign cash into Rials at once, because you’ll either get ripped off on the exchange rate back if you have any left over, or you’ll be unable to trade it outside of the country.

Also don’t be too concerned about travelling around with thousands of dollars in your backpacks. As we mentioned earlier theft is rare. Do keep your money stashed in different spots though just in case.

UPDATE: If you’d prefer not to carry all your cash with you, can actually pre-order a local Iranian debit card from the company, Mah Card . It works just like a normal debit card in your home country.

You order it on their website and they’ll deliver it to your hotel in Tehran when you arrive. They have an online system too where you can top up the funds if you’re running low.

Use the code ‘ NOMADASAURUS ‘ at check-out to get a 40% discount on the card when ordering. Instead of a 19 Euro issue fee, our code brings it down to 11 Euro.

“Toman or Rial?” Get used to asking that question, because if you don’t it could end up being a costly mistake.

The currency in Iran is officially known as the Rial, and is valued at roughly 30’000 IRL to USD$1. That’s a lot of zeros, so what the locals have started doing is dropping a zero and calling the new value a Toman.

1 Toman = 10 Rial

When you hear prices quoted in Tomans you need to add a zero on the end and pay the amount in Rials. It sounds confusing, but you’ll pick it up pretty quickly.

That’s why it’s important to always ask Toman or Rial, so you don’t accidentally pay too much on an item. Most vendors quote in Tomans anyway, so chances are if the price seems too good to be true, you need to multiply it by 10.

Rumour has it that Iran will officially introduce Toman as a currency in the coming years, but that hasn’t come into effect yet.

You are going to do a lot of walking in Iran, so bring comfortable footwear. The towns here are so amazing that you’ll probably end up walking at least 10km every day, so look after your feet.

These don’t necessarily have to be hiking boots (unless you’re planning on doing some treks). Just make sure you have some flat shoes that you can wear all day without a problem.

Don’t bring heels. You don’t need them, and you won’t wear them. We had a pair of hiking shoes each and a pair of sandals. That was perfect.

Persian food is varied and delicious, and there’s plenty of different styles to try, so be adventurous!

Most people travelling on a budget will end up eating falafel sandwiches when they’re in Iran because they are cheap ($1 !), filling and delicious, but there’s plenty more to Iranian cuisine then just kebabs.

We don’t consider ourselves to be foodies, but luckily we were travelling with our good friends Dan and John and they are all about culinary travel, so they had a huge list of food they wanted to try. And boy were we thankful they did!

They had looked up the different types of food they wanted to try, so we basically followed their advice and tried it all. Of course, it was super delicious too.

One particular dish we all loved was dizi. It’s quite confusing how to eat the first time, so we had the restaurant owner show us how to mix and grind all the ingredients. If she didn’t show us, we wouldn’t have a clue how to eat it.

If you are a vegetarian, there are food options but they can be limited. There is a lot of eggplant, lentil and chickpea dishes. There are simple salads and rice also.

Try to get away from the popular tourist areas as well, as the prices are going to be a lot higher than the average place.

Move away and you will be surprised how much the price drops, and the portions are larger. If you are passing a local restaurant and it is packed with locals, that is going to be a winner.

We always recommend people travel with a backpack rather than a suitcase, but this is especially useful when you visit Iran.

The road and paths are uneven, and wheeling a suitcase would be a nightmare. A lot of hotels don’t have lifts, so unless you’re feeling strong it’s going to be hard to carry your suitcase up a lot of flights of stairs.

Always choose a lightweight backpack that fits you perfectly for the best support.

There are also hybrid backpacks, that have harnesses and wheels on the bottom for the times where you just don’t want to carry it.

Unless you are on a whirlwind 7-day trip of the country we recommend you design an itinerary of what you want to see and do, but don’t book anything until you are in the country.

Iran is one of those countries that is best to research beforehand so you can make the most of your time and you don’t miss anything, but don’t be surprised if some places you end up liking more than others.

Be willing to change your plans if you get somewhere that you want to stay an extra day, or if you meet a backpacker that raves about one town you hadn’t considered before.

Don’t stress about booking buses, flights or trains before you arrive. Everything can be booked in-country, for a much cheaper price than you’ll find online.

By not locking in your travel plans, you can change and swap your itinerary easy enough.

Disclaimer: The one time that you may need to book everything ahead of time is during Nowruz, which is the Persian New Year. If you’re planning on travelling to Iran during this time (it happens around the spring equinox in March) you’ll find things are extremely busy with millions of locals travelling around the country to spend time with their families too.

Looking for somewhere else to check out when you visit Iran? Don’t miss our article on the best things to do in Shiraz!

One of the best experiences you will have in Iran is spending time with all the friendly locals. And trust us, you’ll get plenty of opportunities if you are open to it.

The city squares are usually where locals will approach you to welcome you to their country, have a chat and practice their English.

Don’t shy away from this, even if you are a solo traveller. We found out so much information about Iran and how the locals live simply by chatting away.

Most people asked us questions about where we are from and were very happy to answer our questions. It was a true insight to Iran and we made some beautiful friends from it (many of whom we still keep in contact with).

Don’t be surprised if you get a lot of invitations to people’s homes as well, and this may be one of the few countries where we’d say hanging out with strangers is highly encouraged. The Couchsurfing scene is huge here too if you’re into that.

Do be wary of some people who will take you to an expensive tea house though. They are nice people, you will have great conversations, but they can be a little cheeky.

Also always look at the menu before you start ordering to make sure they haven’t taken you somewhere that has crazy prices.

Some will invite you out and try to sell carpets to you. If you are not interested just be firm and move on with the conversation.

We only had this happen to us once out of more than a dozen great experiences, and once we made it clear we weren’t buying a carpet we still had a great chat with him.

There is only one thing with all this – Expect to be stopped every few minutes by people wanting to chat! Make sure you’re mentally prepared when you go out around town to have a million friendly conversations.

You shouldn’t just do this in Iran, you should do this everywhere you travel, but it’s important to keep in mind.

In some countries, there are tourist prices and local prices. To be honest, we almost never felt ripped off here, but it did happen occasionally.

Before you buy anything, whether it’s a souvenir, a meal, a pot of tea, a tour, a taxi ride or whatever, ask to see the menu or how much it will cost to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Get out of the tourist squares too. Chances are if you walk a couple of blocks outside of those popular areas, the prices will drop dramatically.

When buying survivors, ask the price at a few places, get the vibe from the person/place and then buy. Try your bartering skills, but don’t be offensive.

We always try to settle in the middle so both parties are happy. This is their business and they need the money more than you do.

Man Going Through His Carpets At The Market

If you are flying domestic, book through an agent or your local guesthouse in the country. All the local airline pages are in Persian, and these are where the best deals are.

Online booking agencies like Skyscanner and Momondo will not bring up these flights. We were in the west near the Iraqi border and wanted to fly to Tehran. Our local guesthouse helped us out and we booked it for $50 USD including snack and bags.

They were charging $200 USD on one of those online booking agencies above. We never were questioned at the airport about the local price and everything went smoothly.

If you’re not travelling in a group of four, ask at your guesthouse or talk to other travellers to see if you can share the cost of a driver with them.

Sometimes hiring a driver between towns as private transport would work out to be the same price as 4 bus tickets. You get there faster and can stop when you like along the way.

This will save you money and you might even make some awesome friends out of it.

Iranians are very punctual. If you plan to leave for a tour at 8am be in reception at 7:45am, and the driver will most likely already be there.

Buses and trains also won’t wait for you if you aren’t there. The last thing you want to do is miss your tour because you slept in or hadn’t packed yet.

If you’re heading to the airport, bus or train station make sure you leave plenty of time in case of bad traffic.

When we say horrible, we’re being polite. The traffic in Iran is actually insane.

If you’re exploring Tehran don’t be surprised if you have plenty of “Holy s**t!” moments as you go to cross the street or you get around in taxi.

It’s not that Iranians are bad drivers…they just don’t have a concept of space when driving around. In one way it’s almost as entertaining as it is scary.

No one is actively trying to run pedestrians down, but if you do try to run the gauntlet of crossing a busy road it’s best to wait for a local to join them on their hell-bent journey to the other side.

Some social media platforms are banned in Iran and you cannot access them without a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

You cannot access Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, YouTube or Pinterest. You can access Instagram , but the rest only with a VPN.

We used ExpressVPN and had no issues. Here is a link to get your first 30 days for free .

Make sure you download your VPN before you arrive in Iran, because a lot of the VPN sites are blocked by the government.

If you can, we also recommend having access to a few different VPNs, because every now and then one might be blocked in Iran.

ExpressVPN worked for us during our trip, but some people have reported that it didn’t work during their own trip. Last we heard it’s back up and running properly now though.

Most of the guesthouses we stayed at had free wifi, but don’t expect it to be fast.

Some hotels had wifi available in the rooms, while others were only in the reception area or dining rooms. It all depends on how upmarket your place is. In popular cities, tea and coffee houses had wifi also.

One thing to keep in mind though is that just because there is wifi at your hotel, be respectful on how much you use it.

There are no unlimited data plans in Iran, so the hotels have to pre-purchase data in small packets.

Please don’t be that person that streams Netflix or tries to download the new season of Game of Thrones, because all that will happen is you’ll end up using all the net for everybody else in the hotel, and cost the owner more money.

Yep, we met a guy that did just that in Varzaneh, and because it was a weekend it meant nobody in the hostel could get internet until Monday. Thanks, mate.

Despite what you may have been told, you can buy a local sim card in Iran as a foreigner, and it’s a great idea to do so.

This way you can call hotels to make bookings use WhatsApp and Snap (more on that below) on the go, and keep in touch with friends and family back home.

We bought up a sim card with the telecommunications company IranCel through our hostel in Tehran, however, they marked the price up by double.

We found out later that you can buy sim cards at the airport or at any store, so our suggestion is to do this yourself.

When going into the phone store bring your phrasebook or a local friend. You will not need to show any ID, just pay in cash, but it helps to have your passport with you just in case.

You can top up at little general stores that display the IranCel sign. They will do it all on your phone and charge a small fee for their time. Please don’t argue with that, it’s maybe 25c USD.

We were getting 5GB of data for about $10 USD.

There is an app in Iran called Snapp, and it is similar to Uber. It’s a rideshare app where drivers register and customers can order cars to get around town.

This was a lifesaver for us!

What makes Snapp so great is that a price is determined by the app and you pay in cash once you get to your destination. There’s no metre, so the driver will take the most direct way possible.

When you book it you’ll get the driver’s name, their car model and their registration number, so you know you’re getting in the right vehicle.

Yo drop a pin on a map for where you want to go, so there’s no need to try and explain it to the driver in case he doesn’t speak English (or your pronunciation is crap).

The other added benefit is you can rate the drivers afterwards, so they are more likely to be honest rather than a taxi driver.

The only thing is you cannot easily download it onto an iPhone, as Apple is an American company and does not support Iran. It doesn’t show up in the App Store.

If you go to the Snapp website you can download it to your Apple phone through a special link there. Downloading it on an Android phone is easy with no issues.

This one was a big surprise to us, but you can drink the tap water just about everywhere in Iran.

It’s totally safe to drink, even if you’re new to the country, so don’t worry about buying plastic water bottles everywhere you go.

Bring a reusable water bottle instead and simply fill up as you go.

Don’t drink river water tough if you are out hiking.

Iran is a nation of tea drinkers, so it’s no surprise that you’ll get delicious fresh tea for cheap (or free) just about everywhere.

But what about us coffee drinkers??

The bad news is that getting good coffee is very hard in Iran. Despite their close proximity to places like Turkey, the coffee culture phased out years ago and so now the best you’ll find is usually those horrible instant packets.

There is a silver lining though, and some entrepreneurial locals have discovered that coffee is basically the second greatest thing on earth (after a delicious IPA, which you also can’t get in Iran), and some Western-style coffee shops are popping up in major towns.

They’re not cheap, but when you need that caffeine hit in the morning it’s totally worth it.

When you catch the metro around Tehran or Esfahan, there are carriages designated just for women, which is great if you’re a solo female traveller.

These are basically sections that males aren’t allowed in to stop accidental touching of non-related mixed genders, but it also adds a sense of security for women taking public transport.

Occasionally if the mixed carriages are full you’ll see one or two men in the female ones, but they tend to stand next to the door away from everyone.

[box] Those were just some of the things you need to know before you visit Iran. Has the article helped you? Do you have anything else to add? Leave a comment below and let us know![/box]

Alesha and Jarryd

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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Security Alert May 17, 2024

Worldwide caution, update may 10, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

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Iran Travel Advisory

Travel advisory january 11, 2024, iran - level 4: do not travel.

Updated to add the Terrorism Risk Indicator and risk of surrogacy tourism.

Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens . Exercise increased caution due to wrongful detentions .

Country Summary: U.S. citizens should not travel to Iran for any reason. U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Iran have been kidnapped, arrested, and detained on spurious charges.

Iranian authorities continue to unjustly detain and imprison U.S. nationals, particularly dual national U.S.-Iranian nationals--including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics--on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security. Iranian authorities routinely delay consular access to detained U.S. nationals and consistently deny consular access to dual U.S.-Iranian nationals.

Violent extremist groups, including U.S. government-designated terrorist organizations, operate in Iran. ISIS and affiliated groups have claimed responsibility for bombings and other attacks in Iran. The threat of terrorist activity persists, as does the risk of death or injury to bystanders.

The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The U.S. government is unable to provide routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Iran.

Companies offering surrogacy services in Iran are misrepresenting the security situation in Iran and the risks of the unregulated surrogacy tourism industry. Private companies that arrange such visits and services put U.S. citizens in danger.

Due to the risks of operating civilian aircraft within or in the vicinity of Iran, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Iran.

If you are currently in Iran:

Consider the risks involved in possessing dual U.S. Iranian nationality .
Review your personal security plan and visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas .
Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
Establish your own personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organization or consider consulting with a professional security organization.
Leave DNA samples with your medical provider.
Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter/X .
Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist .

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Egypt and Iran explore tourism links as relations continue to thaw

Iranians to get visas on arrival, initially permitted to visit red sea resorts with religious shrines to follow.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Reuters

Egyptian and Iranian officials are expected to discuss opening up Egypt to Iranian tourists when they meet later this month as part of ongoing efforts to normalise relations between the two nations, according to Egyptian sources.

They said a delegation from Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry led by a senior official was due to travel to Tehran to finalise details with their Iranian counterparts.

A new Egyptian tour operator would be created and made solely responsible for handling Iranian tourists, the sources told The National . Iranians would only be allowed to travel to Egypt as part of organised tours, and initially only to visit Red Sea resorts in the southern region of the Sinai Peninsula.

Arrangements would later be made for Iranians to be permitted to visit religious shrines in Egypt.

Direct flights between Egypt and Iran will also resume in the next few weeks if an agreement can be reached on the details. Iranian tourists will receive entry visas on arrival in Egypt.

Beside contributing to the normalisation of ties, attracting Iranian tourists would be financially beneficial for Egypt, which is grappling with a crushing economic crisis caused in part by the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war.

A persistent foreign currency crunch is shifting the government's focus to increasing revenue from tourism, which already accounts for about 15 per cent of the country's GDP. Attracting Iranian tourists fits in with this strategy and complements ongoing efforts by Cairo to tap into the large Chinese and Indian markets for visitors.

The majority of the estimated 15 million tourists visiting Egypt this year come from Western Europe, Russia and the US.

Muslim worshippers outside the Al Hussein mosque in Cairo. Reuters

Officials from Cairo and Tehran held several rounds of talks behind closed doors in Baghdad earlier this year to discuss normalising relations, which have been fraught with distrust and tension since the 1979 revolution in Iran.

The talks were mediated by Oman, which enjoys close relations with both countries.

In late May, Iran 's supreme leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave his seal of approval to the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Egypt . He said he would “welcome” the restoration of ties with Egypt during a meeting with the visiting Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq .

Iranian supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. EPA

Sultan Haitham visited Egypt earlier in May when he met President Abdel Fattah El Sisi for talks that included the normalisation of relations between Egypt and Iran, according to Egyptian officials who spoke to The National at the time.

“We welcome this issue and have no problem in this regard,” Mr Khamenei, who has the final say on major foreign and domestic policies, said on the restoration of ties, according to Iranian state television.

Egyptian officials have said that, barring unforeseen developments, Cairo and Tehran could exchange ambassadors before the end of the year. They said Mr El Sisi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were also likely to meet before the year's end.

Oman, a longtime US ally and a member of the Gulf Co-operation Council, has long served as an interlocutor in regional conflicts and disputes between Arab and Western nations.

Relations between Egypt and Iran began to sour in the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian revolution when the late Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat welcomed the deposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to Egypt and a year later allowed his burial in Cairo.

There was a relative thaw after the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and the election a year later of Mohammed Morsi, a member of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood. Morsi briefly allowed Iranians to visit religious shrines in 2012. He was removed from power in 2013 and relations with Tehran cooled after Mr El Sisi took office the following year.

More recently, relations have been tense over what Cairo sees as Iran’s meddling in the internal affairs of Arab nations such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.

The arrival of Mr El Sisi to power in Egypt renewed tensions with Iran. AFP

In a thinly veiled reference to Iran, Mr El Sisi has repeatedly declared Egypt's willingness to come to the aid of its Gulf Arab allies and benefactors if they faced an external threat.

Egyptian officials believe normalised relations with Iran would secure Tehran's goodwill in relation to Cairo's efforts to forge closer economic and commercial ties with countries such as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, where Tehran wields significant influence.

Egypt will also seek to persuade Iran to drop or reduce its support for Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the two main Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip, which borders Egypt, according to officials.

Outbursts of hostilities between the two militant groups and Israel present a security threat to Egypt and also impede efforts at reconciliation between the militants and the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.

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Is it safe to travel to Egypt right now? 2024 travel advice

This is the latest foreign office advice following iran’s military action against israel and the introduction of egypt’s buffer zone on the border with gaza.

A driver feeds his camels near the Pyramids of Giza

G iven the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, travellers may be worried about whether it’s safe to visit other countries in the region — especially following reports of strikes by Israel on Iran. On April 19, Israel reportedly launched a retaliatory attack on Iran , in response to missile and drone attacks on Israel on April 13. The UK Foreign Office has not updated its advice, but rather cautions tourists that the situation is “changing fast” and to monitor its advice pages.

Iran’s military attack on Israel on April 13. In Egypt, the main tourist resorts — Cairo, Nile cruise stops including Luxor and Aswan, and the Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh — are all still considered safe to travel to by the UK government. However, there are several regions along its borders where the Foreign Office currently advises against travelling to. This includes the border with Gaza at Rafah, where Egypt has built a buffer zone in anticipation of Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah.

More generally, you should stay vigilant for things like petty crime, and avoid protests and demonstrations. The Foreign Office also states that it is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check that it provides sufficient cover before travelling. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s the latest government advice about travelling to Egypt?

There are no travel advisories in place for popular tourist spots in Egypt such as Cairo, cities along the Nile including Luxor and Aswan, and resorts by the Red Sea such as Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

However, the Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to the Governorate of North Sinai, which includes the crossing at Rafah, and within 20km of the Egyptian/Libyan border (excluding El Salloum, where it advises against all but essential travel).

It also advises against all but essential travel to the following areas:

• The northern part of the Governorate of South Sinai beyond the St Catherine-Nuweiba road, except for the coastal areas along the west and east of the peninsula • The eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez canal • The area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, excluding Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings, the Governorate of Faiyum, the coastal areas between the Nile Delta and Marsa Matruh, the Marsa Matruh-Siwa Road, the oasis town of Siwa, the Giza Governorate north-east of the Bahariya Oasis, the road between Giza and Farafra (except the road between Bahariya and Siwa where all but essential travel applies), Bahariya Oasis, Farafra, and the White Desert and Black Desert • The Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid

Following US and UK strikes on Houthi bases in Yemen in January and February 2024, the Foreign Office said: “Military activity is currently under way in response to attempts by Houthi militants to prevent movement of international shipping in the Red Sea. While the area of activity is limited to the Red Sea and Yemen, there is a possibility that travel advice for nearby countries could change at short notice. You should continue to monitor travel advice and follow any relevant instructions from local authorities.”

This advice is still current. In addition, terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Egypt, according to the Foreign Office, and targets could include destinations popular with tourists. Most attacks are in the North Sinai region, but they may take place in other parts of the country too.

The risk is heightened during public holidays and festivals, such as Christmas and Ramadan, and is particularly high around religious sites, large public gatherings and places frequented by foreigners. Stay vigilant and carry your photo ID with you at all times.

Has Egypt been affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict?

Broadly, the Foreign Office warns that the border between Israel and Egypt (Taba) could close at short notice. Visitors should check with local authorities before trying to cross. It also warns that since fighting broke out in southern Israel and Gaza, demonstrations (often at short notice) have taken place. Tourists should be vigilant and avoid large gatherings and protests.

On October 27, 2023, an official confirmed that a drone fell near a medical facility in the Red Sea resort of Taba, near the Israeli border, injuring six people. Authorities are investigating.

Separately, two Israeli tourists and their local guide died after a police officer opened fire on a group of Israeli tourists in Alexandria on October 8, 2023, according to reports by the Israeli foreign ministry. This has not been confirmed by Egyptian authorities.

• Is it safe to travel to Israel right now? • Is it safe to travel to Turkey right now? • Is it safe to travel to Dubai right now? • Is it safe to travel to Cyprus right now? • Is it safe to travel to Morocco right now?

Is Cairo safe?

Yes, Cairo is considered safe to visit by the Foreign Office and this advice has not changed since the US and UK joint strikes on Houthi bases in Yemen in January and February 2024. The same general travel advice that applies to other parts of the country also applies to Cairo.

However, it’s a big and busy city so it’s still worth staying vigilant for petty crime. Female travellers should also take care — as in other parts of the country, harassment and sexual assault can and do happen.

Is it safe to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh?

Sharm el-Sheikh reopened to British tourists in October 2019, four years after a bomb exploded on a Russian plane carrying 224 tourists and crew. Security measures were increased at the Red Sea resort: x-ray scanners in hotels; security walls; and high perimeter fences around the airport were installed.

The area of Sharm el-Sheikh is now deemed safe to travel to by the Foreign Office. This advice has not changed since the US and UK launched joint strikes on Houthi bases in Yemen at the beginning of 2024.

Is it safe to travel to Hurghada?

Hurghada, a popular Red Sea resort, is also deemed safe to travel to by the Foreign Office. Again, travel advice has not been amended for the resort following the strikes on the Houthi bases in Yemen.

• Best hotels in Hurghada • Best things to do in Hurghada

Can you drink alcohol in Egypt?

Egypt is an Islamic country. While attitudes are more relaxed in tourist resorts, customs can be very different elsewhere and more strict during Ramadan. Public drinking, for example, can lead to arrest — alcohol is only permitted in a licensed restaurant or bar.

Possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs can lead to long prison sentences or even the death penalty. Visitors should be aware that what is legal in the UK may not be legal in Egypt. In 2017, for example, a British woman was jailed for three years for taking painkillers into the country. Tramadol, an opioid painkiller, is a prescription drug in the UK but is illegal in Egypt.

What about taking photos in Egypt?

Be aware of what you’re photographing. Taking pictures of military installations (strictly prohibited), embassies, government buildings, churches and even infrastructure such as train stations can lead to arrest. If you want to photograph any Egyptian citizens, you must have written permission from them; photographing children is not permitted.

Taking or sharing photographs that are perceived to be damaging to the country’s image is also forbidden. Similarly, making strongly negative comments about Egypt or its politics, including on social media, can lead to you being detained.

• Best all-inclusive hotels in Egypt

What are Egypt’s entry restrictions?

On the Montaza Palace bridge in Alexandria

For entry into Egypt, you’ll need at least six months of validity on your passport. You’ll also need to apply for a tourist visa to visit most of the country. These can be obtained online before you travel or on arrival at dedicated desks inside the airport. This is valid for up to three months.

If you’re travelling to the resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you can get a free entry permission stamp upon arrival for stays of up to 15 days. You’ll have to get a visa if you want to stay longer or visit other places.

Do I need vaccines for Sharm el-Sheikh?

There are no essential vaccine requirements for visiting Egypt. However, the NHS suggests that it’s advisable to have polio and tetanus jabs. You may also want to consider hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid.

General safety advice for travelling in Egypt

In terms of safety on the ground, it pays to be vigilant. Protests take place frequently and foreigners taking part in political activities in the country could be detained or subjected to other measures.

The Foreign Office says: “If you become aware of any nearby protests, marches or demonstrations, you should move away from the immediate area as the atmosphere could change quickly and without warning. Police have previously used water cannons, tear gas, birdshot and live ammunition for crowd control.”

At popular tourist spots, visitors can be harassed for money or to buy things. There’s also a risk of theft and mugging, even in taxis. Travelling as part of an escorted tour can help reduce the risks. If you are a victim of crime, you should contact the local tourist police who can help you make a report.

Public displays of affection can also be frowned upon.

Visitors to Egypt should take care when travelling in taxis

Is Egypt safe for female travellers?

In general, yes, it is safe for female travellers. However, there have been reported incidents of sexual assault and harassment in the country, including some affecting minors. Most of the reported incidents have taken place in the Red Sea region and, according to the Foreign Office, are often committed by someone the victim had already met, including hotel workers and excursion staff.

The Foreign Office advises: “Female travellers should exercise caution when travelling alone, particularly at night, in buses, taxis and microbuses. If you are travelling on public transport including microbuses, avoid being the last passenger left on board.”

• What can women do to stay safe while abroad?

Is Egypt safe for LGBT travellers?

It can be problematic for LGBT travellers. While homosexuality is not technically illegal in Egypt, according to the Foreign Office, the charges of “debauchery” and “sexual deviance” have been used to prosecute LGBT people in the past. Sixty-six people were arrested in 2017 on debauchery charges after waving a rainbow flag at a concert in Cairo, for example. Again, attitudes are more relaxed in tourist areas but public displays of affection are likely to cause issues.

• Is it safe to go diving in the Red Sea? • Best hotels in Egypt

Why you should travel to Iran as an American (and what to expect)

Packed with over 5,000 years of history, Iran is a destination everyone must experience at least once in their lifetime. From the ancient Persian Empire to the Zoroastrians temples, the countless mosques, and even the modern cities like Tehran, there is so much to see that one visit will not be enough.

After traveling to Iran on Intrepid Travel’s 14-day Iran Adventure trip, I shared my experience with many of my friends. Most of them replied with a similar response, “I’d love to go to Iran!”

This is a common response among travelers, yet not many actually plan a trip to the country due to misinformation, lack of information, or fear.

Sunrise at Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Esfahan

To encourage you to plan a trip to this wonderful destination, I’ll share with you a few reasons why you should travel to Iran as an American, debunk a few myths, and tell you what to expect there.

No, they don’t hate Americans

Contrary to what you see in the media, Iran is one of the friendliest and culturally-rich countries you’ll ever visit. And no, they do not hate Americans or any other Western nation. That’s just fear-mongering and it is far from reality.

READ MORE: 6 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TRAVEL IN IRAN

When I arrived, I debated how open I wanted to be about my nationality. But as soon as I met Nadia, our Intrepid Travel guide, she put to rest any mild concerns I had about sharing openly that I’m American. No one has an issue with it.

Intrepid leader, Nadia

MEET NADIA, THE INTREPID LEADER WHO WILL CHALLENGE YOUR PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT IRAN

As we traveled the country, countless locals approached me and my other tour companions to chat with us. They were all curious to know about us, our life in our respective countries, and how we were enjoying Iran. On our part, we were just as curious to learn about them, so we fed each other’s curiosities over tea and casual chatting.

One of my favorite random encounters happened just before leaving Iran. I spent my last few hours in the country visiting the Azadi Tower, where I met a few early 20-something local guys. As soon as one of them learned I was American, he expressed with joy how much he’d love to visit the US and shared his vast knowledge of the country. In fact, he was wearing an American flag bandana.

Everywhere you go, you always feel that warm welcome Iranians are known for.

Azadi Tower in Tehran

The visa process is extensive, but worth it in the end

Yes, the visa process is more complicated than in many other countries, but it should not be a deterrent to visiting Iran. Due to the current political environment, Americans are having a tougher time to get their tourist visas approved, but still, it is possible to get them. Thankfully, Intrepid Travel helps you get your visa by guiding you every step of the way with their visa application form.

HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VISA SITUATION

Once you get the visa, set foot in the country, and experience everything it has to offer, you’ll see that that the extra process was all worth it.

There’s so much history to be learned and experienced

As the host to one of the oldest civilizations in history, Iran has no lack of ancient ruins and historical sites. Everywhere you go, you’ll be surrounded in hundreds, if not thousands of years of history.

Gate of All Nations in Persepolis

From the Elamite Kingdoms, to the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great’s conquest, the Arab invasion, and even the 1979 revolution, each city you visit will show you a piece of the historical puzzle and how they played a part in the development of Iran as we know it, its neighboring countries, and even the rest of the world.

One of my favorite experiences on this trip was spending a night at the Zein-o-din Caravanserai. A caravanserai is an ancient fortress-like facility used by merchants traveling along the silk road around 450 years ago. They would spend the night there to rest, feed their camels, and trade goods before continuing their journey. Today, this one caravanserai is open for us to spend the night right where merchants used to sleep.

BROWSE INTREPID TRAVEL’S RANGE OF TRIPS TO IRAN

You’ll experience a positive culture shock

I think some of the best travel destinations are the ones that teach you something new through experiences, and Iran has no shortage of that. The level of culture shock in the country is significant, but in a positive way. You’ll see how, despite their current economic and political status, Iranians still welcome you with a smile and the warmest hospitality you could hope for.

You’ll be welcomed with an abundance of food, too!

You’ll see how women are proud of their trendy fashion, how their carpet artistry is among the finest in the world, how the nomadic culture is still alive, how their local markets are the center of activity, and how families gather at parks and squares to picnic at night until well past midnight (it can get too hot to picnic during the day).

You’ll also see how religion is deeply tied to their society and the many intricate details that make their culture unique. You’ll see all kinds of people, from the most conservative to the most liberal, and the beauty of all of them coexisting in one place.

SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID’S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL TIPS, STORIES, GIVEAWAYS & MORE

It’s good to be ambassadors of our country

As I mentioned previously, locals will talk to you and ask you about life in the US or your country. This is our opportunity to show them who we really are not only as a Western nation but also as humans. There is no better way to learn about a country than by talking firsthand with locals, the people who live and breathe their country every day. They will share with you their proudest moments, their struggles, and their desires.

Locals in the vegetable market in Shiraz

Another fear-mongering myth is that Iran is not safe. But again, it is the opposite. Locals aren’t looking to harm, kidnap, or threaten Americans. I never felt in danger, not even when I walked on my own in the city of Esfahan past midnight.

Traveling solo is safe, but as Americans, you will be traveling on a tour (since it is required), so that’s even another safety layer.

TRAVEL STORY: “I’VE CYCLED THROUGH OVER 40 COUNTRIES; HERE’S WHY IRAN STANDS OUT”

There’s no alcohol, pork, and no American/Western chains

For good or for bad, alcohol has been banned in the country since the revolution in 1979. Pork isn’t found either, but this is more because of Islamic customs. American and Western chains are not found in the country due to economic sanctions and the complicated political relationship Iran has had with the Western world for decades now.

Esfahan – one of Iran’s many unique and compelling destinations

What you will find, though, are knock-off versions of popular fast foods like McFood, a different KFC, Burger Queen, and so on. It’s fun to see how they reinterpret and adopt the Western culture not only on their food but also on their fashion and entertainment too.

There is so much more to be discovered and experienced in Iran and no post will compare to the beauty of seeing it all firsthand. If you are as intrigued by the country as I was before I went there, I’ll tell you, it will impress you and possibly even surpass your expectations. At least, it surpassed mine.

Ready to visit this incredible destination for yourself? Check out Intrepid’s small group tours in Iran.

Feeling inspired?

Norbert Figueroa

Norbert Figueroa is an architect from Puerto Rico who hit pause on his career in 2011 to travel the world long-term. So far he’s traveled to over 125 countries in hopes of achieving his goal of visiting all 195 UN-recognized countries. You can follow his adventures at globotreks.com and on Facebook and Instagram @globotreks.

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Iran travel advice

Latest updates: Editorial change

Last updated: June 5, 2024 06:24 ET

Demonstrations

Political demonstrations and gatherings may occur.

Large-scale and violent protests took place across Iran in the Fall of 2022 following the strict enforcement of the hijab law by the Iranian authorities. Security forces strongly repressed demonstrators resulting in numerous arrests, injuries and casualties. In some cases, arrested individuals were sentenced to death for charges arising from their participation in the demonstrations.

The situation remains highly volatile and could escalate without notice. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. Security forces could use excessive and lethal force to disperse crowds. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation. Disruptions to telecommunications services, including mobile internet access, may occur during large-scale demonstrations.

Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
Monitor local and international media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Border areas

Pakistan and afghanistan.

Bandits in border areas with Afghanistan and Pakistan are usually involved in drug trafficking and use kidnapping to secure the release of group members from prison.

Sistan-Baluchistan, which borders Pakistan, is regularly affected by ethnic conflicts and is also a known route for smugglers. Foreign nationals have been the target of kidnappings.

Terrorist attacks may also occur in this province.

If you decide to travel overland to Pakistan and Afghanistan despite this warning:

travel only on main roads
travel in organized groups
avoid travel after dark

The province of Khuzestan borders Iraq. It is regularly affected by ethnic conflicts. Foreign nationals have been the target of kidnappings.

Border with Iraq is usually closed. It can be opened on a case-by-case basis to allow the passage of certain foreigners or to give refugees access to containment camps located on the Iranian side of the border.

Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan

The borders with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are open only to citizens of those countries.

Foreigners travelling in the vicinity of these sensitive borders often attract the attention of local security forces, which can result in short periods of detention.

There is an increased threat of attacks against Western interests and of terrorist attacks in general. The security situation could worsen rapidly and with little warning.

Attacks have targeted:

foreign interests
Iranian military and government establishments
tourist attractions and popular public places
nightclubs and entertainment venues
public transportation

Further attacks may occur, and terrorists may also target:

crowded places
places with high pedestrian traffic where foreigners may gather
commercial establishments
local government offices
public transit stations
busy streets
places of worship

Exercise a high degree of caution at all times.

Kidnapping for ransom can occur, especially in Baluchistan and in the border areas with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Foreign nationals have also been the target of kidnapping.

Use varied and unpredictable routes and schedules when moving from one place to another.

Petty crime

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs. Violent crime affects both Iranians and foreigners.

Thieves often target four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Plainclothes individuals may pose as police officers and ask to see foreign currency and passports. If you are approached, you should politely decline to cooperate but offer to go to the nearest police station.

Avoid showing signs of affluence, such as flashy jewellery
Ensure personal belongings, including your passports and other travel documents, are secure at all times
Carry a photocopy of your passport’s identification page at all times and leave a photocopy with a relative
Don’t surrender any documents or cash
Stay in touch with family and friends, especially if you’re travelling alone
Avoid walking after dark

Women's safety

Women may be subject to some forms of harassment and verbal abuse. Gender-based violence is common in Iran.

Some Canadian and Canadian-Iranian women have been stranded in Iran or mistreated by an Iranian husband or a male relative. Local authorities consider domestic violence to be a private matter and rarely discuss it in public.

Women and children require the permission of the husband, or an Iranian male head of household, to obtain a passport or travel document. They also require permission to leave the country.

The dress code is strictly enforced in Iran. Women must wear a headscarf and a long jacket that covers the arms and upper legs while in public.

Advice for women travellers

Road safety

Road conditions and road safety can vary greatly throughout the country, and city streets are poorly lit. The highway system is relatively well developed.

Trucks run mostly at night, often without headlights. Motorists are reckless and don’t respect traffic laws. They almost never give way to pedestrians at designated crossing points. Parked cars may obstruct sidewalks on main roads in urban areas. Sidewalks are rare in residential areas.

Expect roadblocks and checkpoints.

Avoid travelling at night
Consider hiring a personal driver who’s familiar with local conditions
If you are involved in an accident, remain at the scene until authorities arrive

Public transportation

Most taxis don’t have meters. Drivers often overcharge foreigners.

Only hire official taxis from agencies or hotel-based companies
Take pre-booked official taxis, which are safer than those hailed from the street
Negotiate fares in advance, or insist that the driver use the meter
Never enter a cab if it already has one or more passengers
Note the licence plate number and name of the driver when you travel
Immediately communicate this information to family or friends

Railway transport

Trains are comfortable and punctual, but service is limited and slow.

Iran and the United Arab Emirates both claim sovereignty over the islands in the Gulf and the military patrols the waters. Foreigners navigating Iranian waters have been arrested and detained. In September 2019, Iranian authorities specifically called for the seizure of Canadian assets and vessels.

Exercise caution if travelling by sea, including for recreational purposes, particularly around the disputed islands of Abu Musa and Tunb.

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Iranian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Canadians can verify this information with the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran of the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C.

Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C.

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Iran.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

Foreign Representatives in Canada
Canadian passports

Tourist visa: required Business visa: required Student visa: required Pilgrimage visa: required Press visa: required Transit visa: required

Overstaying your visa period may lead to detention, imprisonment and fines. You will be required to remain in Iran until the situation has been resolved.

E-Visa Portal – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Iran

Transit pass

If you enter Iran with a transit pass issued by an Iranian embassy or consulate abroad, you may have to obtain an Iranian passport to exit the country.

Regional travel

Canadians have been denied entry into Iran because their passports bore an Israeli visa, an Israeli border stamp or an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel. Such a stamp would indicate the traveller entered from Israel.

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary.

Yellow fever is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from or have transited through an airport of a country where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

Vaccination is not recommended.
Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
Contact a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada * It is important to note that country entry requirements may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus. Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.

The flu occurs worldwide.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to April.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and October.
In the tropics, there is flu activity year round.

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that is caused by parasites spread through the bites of mosquitoes. Limited malaria transmission may occur in this destination, but risk to travellers is very low. Antimalarial medication is not recommended for most travellers. Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic before travelling to discuss your options. It is recommended to do this 6 weeks before travel, however, it is still a good idea any time before leaving. Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times:

Cover your skin and use an approved insect repellent on uncovered skin.
Exclude mosquitoes from your living area with screening and/or closed, well-sealed doors and windows.
Use insecticide-treated bed nets if mosquitoes cannot be excluded from your living area.
Wear permethrin-treated clothing.

If you develop symptoms similar to malaria when you are travelling or up to a year after you return home, see a health care professional immediately. Tell them where you have been travelling or living.

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals).

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs.

Cholera is a risk in parts of this country. Most travellers are at very low risk.

To protect against cholera, all travellers should practise safe food and water precautions .

Travellers at higher risk of getting cholera include those:

visiting, working or living in areas with limited access to safe food, water and proper sanitation
visiting areas where outbreaks are occurring

Vaccination may be recommended for high-risk travellers, and should be discussed with a health care professional.

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
Minimize exposure to insects
Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

There is a risk of chikungunya in this country. The risk may vary between regions of a country. Chikungunya is a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Chikungunya can cause a viral disease that typically causes fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times. There is no vaccine available for chikungunya.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is a viral disease that can cause fever, pain and bleeding under the skin. In some cases, it can be fatal. It spreads to humans through contact with infected animal blood or tissues, or from the bite of an infected tick. Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from tick bites and avoid animals, particularly livestock. There is no vaccine available for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

In this country, risk of dengue is sporadic. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue fever.

Cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis causes skin sores and ulcers. It is caused by a parasite spread through the bite of a female sandfly.

Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from sandfly bites, which typically occur after sunset in rural and forested areas and in some urban centres. There is no vaccine or medication to protect against leishmaniasis.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) have been reported in this destination. The risk to travellers is low; MERS is primarily spread through contact with camels or camel-based products (raw milk, meat, urine). It can also spread through close contact, such as when caring for an infected person.

Avoid contact with animals (especially camels), camel-based products, and wash your hands frequently.

Prevention of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)

MERS symptoms range from mild and flu-like to more severe pneumonia-like symptoms, and can result in death.

There is no vaccine or medication that protects against MERS.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

washing your hands often
avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.

Medical services and facilities

Good health care is limited in availability. Quality of care varies greatly throughout the country.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Air quality

Air pollution can be severe in major cities. It may affect people suffering from respiratory ailments.

During periods of high pollution:

consult your doctor before traveling to see if the situation could affect you
limit your activities outdoors
monitor local media
follow the instructions of local authorities

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Iran is under international and Canadian sanctions . While these sanctions don’t prohibit travel to Iran, they could be relevant to your travel.

Legal system

The Iranian legal system differs from the one in Canada.

You may be held for lengthy periods without access to legal counsel or consular officials if you are suspected of or witness to offences.

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs and alcohol are severe. Convicted offenders can expect severe penalties, including the death penalty.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Iran is an Islamic theocratic republic. A conservative interpretation of Islamic practices and beliefs is closely adhered to in the country’s customs, laws, and regulations.

Islamic law is strictly enforced. Breach of public morality, non-compliance with dress-code and making disparaging remarks about Islam, the clergy and religious symbols, including on social networks, are considered serious offences. They are punished severely.

Former Muslims who have converted to other religions have been subject to arrest and prosecution.

Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religion at all times
Be aware of your actions and behaviour

In 2024, the lunar month of Ramadan is expected to begin on or around March 10.

In public, between sunrise and sunset, refrain from:

Dress and behaviour

Iranian customs, laws and regulations reflect the conservative interpretation of traditional and Islamic practices and beliefs adhered to by the Iranian authorities.

To avoid offending local sensitivities:

dress conservatively
behave discreetly
respect religious and social traditions

Shorts are considered inappropriate attire for both men and women.

Women should carry a headscarf to cover their head at all times while travelling in Iran.

There are reports indicating that the police are using surveillance cameras to identify and monitor women who don’t wear the hijab in public places, as required by Iranian law. Employers and owners of businesses such as stores, restaurants, cafés and shopping malls face closure and prosecution if they don’t enforce the hijab law.

If you promote unveiling while you are in Iran, you could face criminal charges.

Women who fail to comply with the law may face:

arrest and detention
jail sentences
restricted access to public institutions such as hospitals, schools, airports and other social services .
restricted access to mobile phones and Internet

Intimate and extramarital relations

Public displays of affection between two people of the opposite sex, especially between a non-Muslim man and a Muslim woman, is not well socially accepted.

If you engage in extramarital relationships, you may be subject to severe penalties, including the death penalty.

Canadian women who register their marriage with the Iranian authorities automatically become Iranian citizens. They are treated as such by Iranian law.

Marriage between an Iranian and a foreigner is subject to the rules of conduct and Islamic laws. As such, an Iranian husband may prevent his wife and children from leaving Iran, even if they are of foreign nationality.

Marriage Overseas

Iranian and Canadian family law systems are significantly different.

Iran doesn’t automatically recognize the orders of Canadian courts in matters of family law.

A Canadian divorce certificate is not automatically recognized in Iran.

You must get the Canadian divorce certificate authenticated by a Canadian Embassy prior to have it sanctioned by an Iranian Court for it to be recognized under Iranian law.

If an Iranian court doesn’t sanction your divorce, and you return to Iran as a woman, your ex-husband may request the Iranian authorities to confiscate your passport. As a husband, authorities may not allow you to leave Iran if you have not paid the dowry to your wife after divorce.

Children custody

Iran isn’t a signatory to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Children of a male Iranian national, including Canadian-Iranian citizens, are in the sole custody of their father. They require their father’s permission to leave Iran.

To avoid any difficulties in Iran, consult a Canadian and an Iranian lawyer before travelling. If you're involved in local legal proceedings such as divorce or custody, seek legal advice regarding your rights and responsibilities.

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Iran.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Iran by an abducting parent:

act as quickly as you can
consult a lawyer in Canada and in Iran to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
Request emergency assistance

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

Iranian law criminalizes sexual acts and relationships between persons of the same sex.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers could also be discriminated against or detained based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics.

If you are convicted, you could face corporal punishment, imprisonment or the death penalty.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Iran.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Iran doesn’t legally recognize dual citizenship.

If local authorities consider you a citizen of Iran, they may refuse to grant you access to Canadian consular services. This will prevent us from providing you with those services.

If you're a Canadian-Iranian citizen, you must enter and exit Iran using your Iranian passport. You may also not be able to leave Iran unless you meet certain conditions.

Canadians, particularly dual Canadian-Iranian citizens, are at risk of:

being arbitrarily questioned, arrested or detained
having their passport confiscated

Canadian-Iranian dual citizens should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Iran.

General information for travellers with dual citizenship

Mandatory military service

Military service is mandatory for male Iranian citizens aged 18 to 34, unless exempt. This also applies to dual Canadian-Iranian citizens, even those born in Canada.

If you are a Canadian-Iranian citizen older than 17 years, and planning to visit Iran, check your military service obligation prior to your travel. You may not be allowed to leave Iran without first having completed your military service.

Communications and political activities

Communications are closely scrutinized by local authorities. You may face severe consequences if you discuss, share or publish information on the political situation or criticize the regime in place, including on social media.

Photography

It is prohibited to photograph (including with drones);

government buildings
security forces, military and police installations and vehicles
public buildings, including airports, ports, bridges, embassies and power plants

Such sites are not always well identified. In doubt, seek permission, or refrain from taking the photo.

Always ask permission before taking photographs of local residents.

All luggage may be subject to search upon arrival and departure.

Customs officials may screen your electronic device.

Prohibited items

Possession of prohibited items is forbidden and may result in detention and or imprisonment. Such items include:

Magazines and DVDs with sexual or explicit content
Satellite dishes
Western CDs and film

Pork Products

It’s prohibited to import and consume pork-based products.

The workweek runs from Sunday to Thursday.

You must carry an international driving permit.

International Driving Permit

The currency in Iran is the Iranian rial (IRR).

The economy is exclusively cash-based. Credit cards aren’t accepted in Iran. ATMs exist only for local banking, for the use of Iranians. Due to international sanctions, it’s not possible to transfer funds to Iran using commercial banking system or money transfer company.

Bring sufficient cash, preferably in U.S. dollars or euros
Note that U.S. banknotes used must be in crisp condition

Seismic activity

Iran is located in an active seismic zone. Earthquakes occur.

Severe weather

Dust storms.

The weather is very dry and hot from May to October. Dust storms and sand storms may occur during the summer months.

Sand-laden winds can blow at high speeds for days, creating difficult driving conditions. Poor visibility can also affect flights. These storms can also cause respiratory problems, which can be fatal in some individuals.

If a dust storm is occurring:

stay indoors
keep windows closed
be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
monitor local media for up-to-date information on the situation

Rainy season

The rainy season extends from November to March. During the rainy season, flooding, including flash flooding, can occur.

Seasonal flooding can hamper overland travel and reduce the provision of essential services. Roads may become impassable, due to mudslides and landslides. Bridges, buildings and infrastructure may be damaged.

Monitor local media for the latest updates, including those on road conditions
Stay away from flooded areas
Monitor local news and weather reports
Follow the instructions of local authorities

Tornadoes, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons and monsoons

Local services

In case of emergency, dial:

police: 110
medical assistance: 115
firefighters: 125 / 123

Consular assistance

There is no resident Canadian government office in Iran. The Embassy of Canada to Türkiye in Ankara has consular responsibility for Iran.

Azerbaijan, Georgia. Offering consular services to Canadians in Iran.

For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada to Türkiye in Ankara and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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How to Travel to Iran as An American

I just came back from Iran and I’m still digesting everything I saw and experienced. What a country! So much history, so many beautiful monuments (and you know me, nature being my jam, I don’t usually do museums or monuments). Iran was my first Middle East country I’ve visited and I think I made the right choice in picking Iran as my introduction to the region. Because of my US citizenship, I had to go with a guide – which is not usually my style – but having a guide and a car made the trip very smooth and hassle-free.

On this post, you will find all the necessary information for traveling to Iran as a US citizen. You’ll also find my thoughts on safety issue, traveling to Iran as a vegetarian, and other brain-dump type of commentaries.

But first, let’s get something out of the way…

Pink mosque in Shiraz

Can Americans Travel to Iran?

Yes, Americans can legally travel to Iran , with the following restrictions:

Americans will not be eligible for visa-on-arrival, so you’ll need to get your Iran visa before your trip. The process takes 2-3 months.
Americans (as well as UK and Canada citizens) must apply for their visa through an Iranian travel agency. No exception.
Americans are also required to be accompanied with a guide with a pre-determined itinerary.

This means that you must travel following a fixed itinerary and you’re not allowed to deviate from it. No spontaneous change of plan, no accepting invitations to people’s houses. You will have to be accompanied by a licensed guide throughout the duration of your stay in Iran. Technically this means that your guide is supposed to be with you the second you step out of your hotel.

A Guide to the Best Places to Visit in Iran

As someone who thrives on solo travel, personal time alone, and unstructured free time, I worried that I’d find this constrictive. Thankfully I had a great guide that was willing to be flexible and I do have some experience traveling with randos off the Internet .

You can try finding a licensed guide through online forum or referral (ask me!), but going through a travel agency will make most sense for first time visitors to Iran. There’s no need to join a group tour though, instead you could go on a private, custom trip based on your interests and schedule. Surprisingly, it’s not that much more expensive than a group tour.

Iran Visa for Americans

Step 1. Find a reputable travel agency Step 2. Work out your Iran itinerary Step 3. Submit requested documentation to the travel agency. At this step, you also need to specify where you’re going to pick up your visa. For me this was the Iranian interest in Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC. Step 4. After 2-3 months, if approved you will receive a Visa Grant Code (also called authorization code). Step 5. Mail your Visa Grant Code + visa fee + passport to your pre-determined pick up point. Step 6. Pick up/receive your passport with an attached Iran visa.

How to Guide: Iran Visa for Americans

Is it Safe to Visit Iran?

Safety is such a tricky question I almost never talk about it. Safety is subjective (is it real or perceived risk?), anecdotal (just because nothing happens to you, it doesn’t mean it’s safe), and contextual (like when a 6’4″ tall, 200lbs man claims a country is “safe”).

But safety is the first thing that comes to mind to a lot of people when the subject of travel to Iran comes up, so I feel that I have to mention it here. So how safe is Iran? Should Americans travel in Iran?

Petty Crimes in Iran

I felt safer walking the streets in Iran than I do back home here in San Francisco. While in Iran, I didn’t feel like someone would snatch the phone off my hand while I’m walking down the street. I never felt like I had to constantly keep an eye on my belonging in public (I still do, because it’s a smart thing to do).

Generally speaking, nobody in Iran is out to scam you. No tea house invitations, no friendship bracelets, or such non-sense. My time in Iran was hassle-free. It was so nice not to have to be on my guard all the time.

Rooftop meander in Kashan

Female Safety in Iran

As a female, I found it refreshing not to get ogled or cat-called. Instead I was treated with deference by every male I interacted with even when I was by myself. I can’t speak for what it’s like to be a solo woman traveler in Iran dealing with public transportation and such. However from my research, solo women travelers find Iran to be one of the safest countries to travel (as in anywhere else, common sense prevails).

But it doesn’t mean that my trip in Iran was worry-free. As an American, I did have some safety concern.

Is Iran safe for Americans?

When I was traveling in Iran, the rhetoric against Iran by the Trump administration was at its peak. The US aircraft carriers were on their way to the Gulf. There was even talk about sending troops. In response, Iranian government increased their anti-American, anti-Israel counter-rhetoric back.

If war broke out, selfishly I wondered how it would affect me, especially on my ability to leave. My biggest Iran safety concerns was our governments’ hostility towards each other, but never the Iranian people themselves.

Because of that, I never felt that I had to hide my nationality. When people ask, and they do ask, where I’m from, I don’t hesitate to say “the US” or “America”. We often bonded immediately over our shared frustration at the current situation and the feelings that our respective governments don’t represent our best interest.

Iranians are very aware of how they’re being being portrayed in the West – an Iranian I met literally said “Please tell your friends we are not terrorists” – they go out of their way to prove just the opposite. Among avid travelers, the hospitality of Iranian people are widely known.

Warm smiles and colors of Iran.

Best Time to Travel to Iran

Most first time travelers to Iran will follow the “classic route” which includes the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz. For this classic Iran itinerary, Spring time (March – May) and Fall (September – October) would be the best time to travel to Iran since temperature will be milder. I was warned that desert cities such as Yazd gets searing hot during summer (> 40C). As a woman in Iran, having to cover up, I can’t imagine it would be comfortable at all.

Traveling in Iran during Ramadan

Purely by coincidence, I found myself traveling in Iran during Ramadan (which in 2019 fell on May). Ramadan is not the most ideal time to travel in Iran . Most shops and restaurants are closed during the day. Bazaars and the streets are quieter because of it. Monuments and museums do stay open, however.

Evenings is your prime people watching time during Ramadan in Iran. Shops and restaurants shift their opening hour to around 4-5pm, a few hours before iftar (end of fast). Our strategy was to get our sightseeing done early and afterwards, we were able to enjoy lively iftar atmosphere in public squares and bazaars.

Lunch time during Ramadan can be tricky. Only restaurants with special permit are allowed to be open during the day in Ramadan and finding these restaurants is not easy even with an experienced guide. A restaurant that was open last year isn’t necessarily going to get a permit this year. Not to mention that for sensitivity reason, these restaurants do not look open from the outside.

Drinking and eating in public during Ramadan is discouraged. So if you find yourself traveling in Iran during Ramadan, just be discreet if you need to take sip of water or snack in public.

So yeah, it wasn’t ideal since I do love to snack and check out the street food scene when traveling. As a matter of fact, I lost weight during this trip. First since Tibet!

What to Wear in Iran

I feel that being a tourist in Iran gets you a lot of leeway in terms of clothing. As long as you make an effort, I wouldn’t stress too much about it. Also, as a woman, you will adjust your head cover about 10 million times a day. You’ve been warned.

I bought the green/blue manteau in Iran ($8) and the yellow scarf ($3). Plus a sleeveless top underneath, and thin legging from Uniqlo.

You will need to cover your hair as soon as you land in Iran , so make sure that you have a scarf in your carry-on bag. Arms, legs, cleavage, and hair should be covered. 3/4 sleeves seem to be acceptable. One of your layers will need to be long enough to cover your butt. For traveling in warmer months, I’d go for long light-weight, loose tunics such a this .

I spent more time than than usual figuring out what to bring to Iran but in the end none of the stuff I brought with me worked out. The 3 scarfs I brought were either too slippery or too thick. My cardigans, suitable for San Francisco mild summer temperature, were too warm for springtime in Iran. I ended up buying pretty much a whole new ayatollah-approved wardrobe in Iran such as scarfs, long shirts, and a light-weight manteau.

Visiting Iran in spring/summer? My recommendation is to get a light-weight manteau as soon as you arrive in Iran. Then you can wear any tops you want underneath. I paired the manteau with a pair of thin leggings from Uniqlo. I wore that combo most days in Iran.

Make up, jewelry, tight jeans/leggings, and wearing sandals is also completely acceptable in Iran. The latter was the only salvation on warmer days.

Men can get by with regular clothes with the exception for shorts, muscle shirts, and sleeve-less shirts.

Food and Drink

You can drink the tap water.

Tap water is drinkable in most cities in Iran and you’ll see plenty of water fountains in public areas all throughout Iran. Double check with your guide or your hotel. Bottled water is very cheap, but bringing a water bottle with built-in filter (like this ) means less plastic and less waste.

You won’t find alcohol sold anywhere in Iran (at least not publicly). Learn to embrace it by ordering one of the many creative mocktails and colorful herbal drinks.

Being a Vegetarian in Iran

Not to sugarcoat it, but being a vegetarian in Iran wasn’t easy. I do hope you love eggplant because you’ll be eating a lot of it. In restaurants, your best bet would be to look for Kashk-e Bademjan (often listed on the menu as “eggplant with whey”), a vegetarian dish made of eggplants, herbs, and yoghurt. There’s also Mirza Ghasemi made with eggplants, tomato, and eggs. Less often seen is Kookoo Sabzi , some type of crust-less quiche made of spinach and egg.

Restaurants in touristy places might serve vegetarian version of some of Iran’s popular traditional dishes such as fesenjan , a pomegranate-walnut stew, but this was an exception rather than the rule.

There are plenty of fast food restaurants selling falafels and samosas (and also spaghetti?). These are handy for quick snacks or when you’re tired of eating eggplant.

What if you’re vegan? Oh man, it’s going to be so tough. You might want to bring your own food?

Day 4 in Iran, I begged my guide at a restaurant “Anything but eggplant, pleaaaase!” He talked to the restaurant owner and he agreed to make me something off menu. Not sure what this is, but it was delicious (and more importantly, not eggplant!)

Left: Zulbiya (fried dough soaked in syrup). Right: A mocktail – no alcohol, no problem. Get one of these colorful, delicious mocktails in one of the many Iranian cafes.

Home Cooked Food

I feel that Iran is one of those countries where the best food come from homes and not restaurants. I think many would agree? Try to include a cooking class or a dinner with a local family in your itinerary.

If you have sweet tooth, you’re in luck. Iran has a lot of different types of sweets and desert, many are region-specific. They often incorporate rose water, saffron, and pistachios. Some regional Iranian sweets you have to try are:

Koluche/Kolooche , a type of bready cookie stuffed with a mix of cinnamon and sugar. The best known kolooche comes from the city of Fuman, where we stopped on our way to Masouleh.
Gaz , Iranian nougat from Yazd
Zulbiya & Bamiye – fried dough drenched in syrup, popular during Ramadan.
Sohan from Qom. A type of brittle toffee made of saffron, cardamom, and rose butter. And butter. Tons of butter.
Shiraz-faloudeh from Shiraz. A starch-based noodle served with ice cream, rose syrup, and optional lemon juice.

Pink lake near Shiraz

Money Matter

Bring all the cash you think you’ll need. You can’t use debit or credit cards in Iran, and ATMs will not work. Iran has its own banking system, separate from any global financial network such as Visa or Mastercard.

How much money do you need to bring?

Your tour price will at least include hotel and transportation. It might or might not include entrance fee. On top of the tour, I spent 120 USD for the 12 days I was Iran paying for my own food, entrance fees, and other incidentals (SIM card, souvenirs, etc). Because of the weak exchange rate (especially with the sanctions), your dollar or euro will go far.

If you come to Iran wanting to buy a Persian carpet (that can cost up to thousands of dollars), don’t feel the need to bring a duffel bag of cash with you. Bigger stores will actually accept Visa/Mastercard. Some will charge a percentage for the convenience but you can find some that don’t. Having said that, cash is king and you’ll have a better bargaining power when paying with cash.

Iran Tourist Card

This is a type of reloadable debit card that’s very convenient since it’s accepted pretty much everywhere in Iran. Everybody in Iran uses some type of debit card for payment. So when using cash, be prepared to get panic looks whenever a shop owner realises he can’t give you change.

Ask your travel agency to help set up a prepaid debit card for you or get it yourself at MahCard (they deliver to your accommodation, set up fee 20 Euros). I also heard that you can get an Iran debit card at the Melli Bank branch at Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Currency Exchange Rate

Keep in mind that the “official” exchange rate, the kind you’ll see on Xe.com is not what you’ll get in Iran. The black market or the free market rate can be 3x more that. Check current market rate here . In most other countries, changing money in the non-official market means covert dealing in some quiet, dark alley. In Iran, however, any currency exchange office will be able to sell you Rials at the free market rate.

TLDR; Don’t exchange at the banks who will give you much lower rate. Go instead to one of the licensed exchange shops. In Tehran, these shops can be found on Ferdowsi Street around Ferdowsi Square.

Toman vs Rial

I’m not sure why exactly, but in Iran there are 2 different currencies commonly used: Rial and Toman.

“Iranian Rial” is the officialy currency of Iran. The bills and coins that in Iran are in Rials. However, prices all throughout the country are quoted in “Tomans” with 1 Toman = 10 Rials. For example, you’ll see a scarf with the price tag of 50.000. This is 50.000 Tomans. The actual price is 500.000 Rials and that’s how much you’ll need to pay in physical money.

It can be very confusing. In the first couple of days, I kept thinking everyone was short-changing me, but I quickly got used to it. I’m sure you will too.

While in Iran, always look up

I recently switched to Google Project Fi, Google’s pay as you go network ( get $20 credit ) that has coverage in over 170 countries. Of course Iran isn’t one of them. Ugh.

Local SIM Card

Many social media apps are blocked such as Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Random websites (some Wikipedia pages) are also blocked. VPN to the rescue! I use ExpressVPN myself, but just to be on the safe side, get different VPN providers before you arrive because some might work better than others.

PSA: I always use paid service from reputable VPN providers because there’s no such thing as a free lunch (how much is your personal data worth to you?)

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After a few weeks I am flying to Iran (but just for one day) and then I am going to stay in Jordan for a week. I do have a Surfshark subscription it worked in Turkey and UAE, so everything should be fine, but just in case, maybe you know is social media apps are blocked in Jordan too?

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Foreign travel advice

Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

FCDO  advises against all travel to Iran

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice. Consular support is also severely limited where FCDO advises against travel.

If you’re a British national already in Iran, either resident or visitor, carefully consider your presence there and the risks you take by staying.

FCDO advises against all travel to Iran. British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arbitrary arrest, questioning or detention in Iran. Holding a British passport can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to question you. If you are detained in Iran, you could face months or years in prison.

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel .

Risks to British nationals in Iran

Consular support is extremely limited in Iran. If you need consular assistance you should contact the British Embassy in Tehran .

FCDO  advises against all travel to Iran. British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arbitrary arrest, questioning or detention in Iran. Holding a British passport can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to question you. If you are detained in Iran, you could face months or years in prison.

Find out more about  why FCDO advises against travel

Dual nationals

The Iranian authorities do not recognise dual nationality. If you are a British-Iranian dual national and you are detained in Iran, the authorities will not tell FCDO  or grant FCDO access to see you. If you are detained, your case will be in the hands of the Iranian authorities, who have shown a pattern of hostility towards the UK and British citizens.

Before you travel

FCDO  advises against all travel to Iran.

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Blinken to Travel to Middle East to Press for Gaza Ceasefire

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a media conference after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at the Czernin Palace, in Prague, Czech Republic, May 31, 2024. Peter David Josek/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East next week, the U.S. State Department said on Friday, as Washington tries to put pressure on Israel and Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal that President Joe Biden laid out last week.

In his eighth visit to the region since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, triggering the latest flare-up in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the top U.S. diplomat will visit Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Qatar and meet with their senior leaders.

Blinken's visit comes after Biden laid out a fresh ceasefire plan to end the eight month-long war and at a time when tensions between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah has escalated in recent days, with both sides signaling a readiness for a bigger confrontation.

"The Secretary will discuss how the ceasefire proposal would benefit both Israelis and Palestinians," the State Department said in a statement. "He will underscore that it would alleviate suffering in Gaza, enable a massive surge in humanitarian assistance and allow Palestinians to return to their neighborhoods."

Talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and others to arrange a ceasefire between Israel and the militant Hamas movement in the Gaza war have repeatedly stalled, with each side blaming the other for the lack of progress.

The ceasefire, the State Department said, would also unlock the possibility of achieving calm along Israel's northern border with Lebanon and set conditions for further integration between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

"The Secretary will also continue to reiterate the need to prevent the conflict from escalating further," it added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel was prepared for strong action in the north. He warned in December that Beirut would be turned "into Gaza" if Hezbollah started an all-out war.

The Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas-led Palestinian fighters attacked southern Israel from Gaza, killing more than 1,200 people, and seizing more than 250 as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's ground and air campaign in Gaza has left the territory in ruins, led to widespread starvation, and killed more than 36,000 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.

While in Jordan, Blinken will attend a conference on humanitarian response to Gaza, the department said.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Rod Nickel)

Photos You Should See - May 2024

A voter fills out a ballot paper during general elections in Nkandla, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, Wednesday May 29, 2024. South Africans are voting in an election seen as their country's most important in 30 years, and one that could put them in unknown territory in the short history of their democracy, the three-decade dominance of the African National Congress party being the target of a new generation of discontent in a country of 62 million people — half of whom are estimated to be living in poverty. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

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Morocco vs Egypt: which north African country should you visit?

Aug 10, 2023 • 7 min read

Luxor's Karnak Temple or a camel ride in the Sahara

North Africa calls – but to which of its legendary destinations’ siren songs should you answer?

We asked a pair of experienced correspondents to each sing in praise of two of the region’s most beguiling countries: Morocco and Egypt. Whichever place you pick for your next journey, you’re sure to strike the right note.

Surfer walks towards the rocky shore with his surfboard during sunrise, Taghazout Bay, Morocco

Mesmerizing Morocco

Travel journalist and UK native Sally Kirby moved to Morocco in 2018, realizing she would always have places (and waves) to feed her curious, surf-loving soul there.

Did you know that Morocco has nine Unesco World Heritage Sites ? Egypt has seven. Sure, one of them is the Great Pyramid of Giza – yet archaeology enthusiasts will be spoiled for choice with the ancient sights (empty of crowds and mostly free of charge) all over Morocco. Think the exquisite Roman ruins at Volubilis , the ancient casbah Ait Ben Haddou , and the Medinas of Marrakesh , Fez and Essaouira , plus Igiliz, a long-forgotten acropolis now being excavated and opened to tourists.

Alongside these ancient sites are Morocco’s trendsetting cities such as Rabat , Marrakech and Casablanca . They cater to a growing number of discerning inhabitants and travelers, with lively art scenes, contemporary museums , shopping malls, luxury hotels, buzzing nightlife and globe-reaching music festivals – all linked by modern tramways and high-speed trains .

Morocco’s Sahara offers a glimpse into a nomadic way of life. The giant dunes of Erg Chigaga and Erg Chebbi feature an ocean of red sand that rises up to 500ft over the surrounding terrain. This is the real Sahara, and very easy to access – but don’t take my word for it. You can read up on the differences between the Moroccan and Egyptian desert experiences from a very reliable source here .

Two fisherman arranging white containers full of fish on top of each other while coating them with salt, Morocco

Now let’s talk about Morocco’s 1250 miles (2000km) of Atlantic coastline, home to some of the best surfing waves in the world. (Sorry, Egypt.) The country’s surf capital, Taghazout Bay has a three-mile (5km) sandy beach that blends luxury beach resorts with a surf-and-yoga, go-with-the-flow vibe that’s generating Reels all over Instagram. Anchor Point, the local showstopper wave, now hosts a leg of the WSL (World Surf League) international surfing championship. Oh, and in a counterpart to Egypt’s Med and Red Sea beaches, I should mention Morocco’s Mediterranean coast , home to striking emerald coves and stunning beaches for the 310-mile (500km) stretch between Tangier and Oujda .

All that coastline makes Morocco well positioned to haul in plentiful fresh fish: the country is the world’s largest exporter of canned sardines. Moroccans traditionally serve their fish straight off the boat onto a grill, with seasoning, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon – as fresh as it comes, and utterly delicious. Food is a massive part of Moroccan culture – usually home-cooked using seasonal recipes handed down over generations. Tasty tagines, couscous, soups and salads are guaranteed.

Perhaps Morocco’s biggest asset is its year-round sunshine, making it an excellent beach or pool vacation choice, especially in the south, around Agadir . With so much abundant sun, Morocco is home to the world’s largest concentrated solar farm and on track to become a leader in renewable energy. The heat is less intense than on Egypt’s Red Sea beaches, primarily due to the cool breeze that blows off the Atlantic Ocean even in the summer months.

Tourist alone standing and meditating over snow covered Atlas mountain range, Jebel Toubkal mountain, Morocco

Hiking enthusiasts flock to the Atlas Mountains , with its easily accessible day and longer treks . At 13,670ft (4167m), Mt Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa, providing an interesting hiking challenge for wannabe mountaineers. Nature and wildlife lovers can also enjoy safari adventures in Ifrane National Park, home to Barbary apes, or Souss Massa National Park , with its oryx and other endemic species.

If you’re still undecided, one final point: the spirit of Morocco will speak to you. This is a peaceful country with community at its heart, where people have time for each other and the things that matter. To be part of that, even for a holiday, can be a life-changing travel experience.

One I wholeheartedly recommend.

A camel driver in front of the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

Enchanting Egypt

Dr Jenny Walker has spent 25 years working in the Middle East and has covered Egypt among other regional destinations in multiple Lonely Planet guidebooks. She recently drove 8500km (5300 miles) from Oman to her home in northern Spain .

“It’s sublime,” a friend newly returned from Morocco said. “It has mountains as high as the Alps, souks more labyrinthine than the Hampton Court Maze and old castles that put the pyramids in the shade.” Pausing to take a breath between superlatives, she added, “And there’s a garden in Marrakesh that’s quite simply a world wonder.” Well…I grant you the Atlas Mountains are a wow, particularly when dusted with winter snows. And yes, you’re bound to get lost in the souks of Fez and Marrakesh – and I get that Yves Saint Laurent’s garden is exotically blue. But can the desert fortifications, which only hint at the mighty Sahara beyond, really overshadow the great works of the ancients?

Let’s face it: if it’s world wonders we’re talking about, there’s simply no contest. No other country but Egypt offers the chance of visiting one of the original seven. Looming over the desert on the edge of Cairo and built to house the remains of Khufu – a powerful Old Kingdom pharaoh from the 26th-Century BC – the Great Pyramid is the only wonder from the ancient world that survives. You can read about it, imagine its size and conceptualize its age, yet only sitting on a camel pacing across the arid Giza Plateau can you really appreciate its extraordinary scale and beauty. The pyramids have inspired creation myths (think “alien conspiracy theories”), been the subject of a dedicated branch of archaeology and been immortalized in film to such an extent that “Indiana Jones” has become an adjective in Egyptian culture. They continue to feature on the top 10 “must-dos” of most travelers’ bucket lists. Nothing – not even a jumbo jet in a fleeting flyby – can put these giants in the shade.

A man sails a felucca on River Nile at sunset Aswan, Egypt

And if we’re talking “bests,” let’s throw in some other world wonders. Take Luxor ’s Valley of the Kings , where just over 100 years ago the tomb of Tutankhamun was found with all the young pharaoh’s funereal possessions intact. Nested in an elaborate three-part sarcophagus, Tutankhamun’s mummy was surrounded by magnificent artifacts comprising over 2600lbs (1200kg) of gold – more dazzle than all the polished brass of a Meknes market combined.

So let’s just take it as a given that when it comes to the ancients, Egypt is unparalleled. But what about adventure? Sure, Morocco boasts high mountains, but Egypt has its own share of natural bounty. There’s a river for a start, and not just any old river – at 4130 miles (6650km), the Nile vies with the Amazon as the world’s longest. Supporting life along its shores for thousands of years, it offers today’s visitors a green way of traveling between top sites.

Underwater coral reef landscape in the Red Sea, Egypt

Then there’s the desert, its western part a geography lesson in geological formations and remote oasis towns, the eastern part home to hermits. In the tradition of monastic isolation inspired by their mountain strongholds, the brethren of the monasteries of St Anthony’s and St Paul’s , together with St Catherine’s in the Sinai , have inherited not just a legacy of Coptic treasures but also the art of living simply.

And the garden? I’ll concede that Jardin Marjorelle is a modern Marrakesh classic, but a world wonder?... (Give it a few thousand years; who knows?) For now, my money’s on the gardens of the deep, which lie off shore in the crystal clear waters of Egypt’s Red Sea . Home to dugong, whale sharks and 1000 species of fish, these superb waters are decorated with 150 types of corals, every bit as exotic as a garden in blue.

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The Latest | Israel expands Rafah offensive, saying it now controls Gaza’s entire border with Egypt

Israeli soldiers drive a tank near the Israeli-Gaza border, in southern Israel, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Palestinians fleeing from the southern Gaza city of Rafah during an Israeli ground and air offensive in the city on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Mothers of Israeli soldiers who serve in Gaza hold up their hands, painted red to symbolize blood, and block a road during a protest calling to end the war, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

This Satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a closer view of remaining section of the temporary pier on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 off Gaza. (Maxar Technologies via AP)

This photo provided by the Office of Israeli lawmaker Danny Danon, shows former U.S Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley signing an Israeli artillery shell while touring Israel’s northern border with Lebanon on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Haley’s visit comes as Israel faces heightened criticism for not doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza amid its war against Hamas, and days after Israeli airstrikes triggered a fire in a camp for displaced Palestinians that appeared to be one of the war’s deadliest attacks. (Office of Israeli lawmaker Danny Danon via AP)

People speak during a Security Council meeting about the war in Gaza at United Nations headquarters, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

An Israeli fighter jet releases flares, and a drone is seen from Rafah, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Smoke billows after an explosion in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Palestinians fleeing from the southern Gaza city of Rafah during an Israeli ground and air offensive in the city on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

People stage a Pro-Palestinians protest at the Bologna Centrale train station in Bologna, Italy, Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Michele Nucci/LaPresse via AP)

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Israel’s military said Wednesday it has seized control of the entire length of Gaza’s border with Egypt, without elaborating. Capturing the strategic Philadelphi corridor signals that Israel has deepened its offensive in southern Gaza.

Palestinians in the border city of Rafah reported heavy fighting Wednesday. Israel previously said it was carrying out limited operations in eastern Rafah along the Gaza-Egypt border. The United States and other allies of Israel have warned against a full-fledged offensive in the city, saying it would cause a humanitarian catastrophe.

Fighting in Rafah has already spurred more than 1 million Palestinians to flee, most of whom had already been displaced in the war between Israel and Hamas. They now seek refuge in makeshift tent camps and other war-ravaged areas, where they lack shelter, food, water and other essentials for survival, the U.N. says.

Earlier Wednesday, a top Israeli official said the war with Hamas is likely to last through the end of the year. Israel has vowed to expunge the militants from the entire Gaza Strip and has done so by a strategy of systematic destruction, at a huge cost in civilian lives.

A Palestinian looks at the aftermath of the Israeli bombing in Nuseirat refugee camp, Gaza Strip, Saturday, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Israeli bombardments and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry , which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducted about 250. Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.

— Israeli strikes kill at least 37 Palestinians , most in tents, near Gaza’s Rafah.

— Missile attacks damage a ship in the Red Sea off Yemen’s coast, near previous Houthi rebel assaults.

— A U.S.-built pier will be removed from the Gaza coast and repaired after damage from rough seas.

— Algeria proposes a Security Council resolution demanding Israel halt its offensive in Rafah.

— Palestinian prime minister visits Madrid after Spain, Norway and Ireland recognize Palestinian state.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Gaza at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war .

Here’s the latest:

U.N. SAYS AID FLOW INTO GAZA DROPPED 67% SINCE ISRAEL LAUNCHED RAFAH INVASION

UNITED NATIONS — The amount of humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza has dropped by two thirds since Israel launched its ground offensive into the southern city of Rafah three weeks ago, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported Wednesday.

The sharp decline in food, fuel, medicine and other aid comes while widespread Israeli bombardments as well as ground incursions and heavy fighting are affecting Gaza’s north, center and south, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, citing the humanitarian office.

The office, known as OCHA, reports the 67% drop in aid since May 7 is due to the closure of the border crossing from Egypt to Rafah, a key transit point, as well as the inability to safely pick up food and other items dropped off on the Palestinian side of Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, plus limited deliveries through other points, Dujarric said.

As for Rafah, he said, OCHA reports that health, humanitarian relief, and social services are being forced to close due to expanded fighting, insecurity, Israeli evacuation orders and the need to transfer resources to other areas after more than a million Palestinians fled Rafah.

Dujarric said the U.N. World Health Organization reports that just one hospital in Rafah remains partially functional – the Al Emirati Maternity Hospital.

U.S. SAYS ISRAEL’S CAPTURING ENTIRE GAZA-EGYPT BORDER CORRIDOR WOULD NOT EXCEED ‘LIMITED’ GROUND INVASION PLAN

WASHINGTON — White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday he would not confirm that Israel had seized all of the Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt, saying, “It’s not our op.”

However, he said the move would be consistent with the “limited” ground operation that Israeli officials briefed President Joe Biden’s team on for the city of Rafah.

“When they briefed us on their plans for Rafah it did include moving along that corridor and out of the city proper to put pressure on Hamas in the city,” Kirby told reporters Wednesday.

The U.S. and other allies of Israel have warned against a full-fledged offensive in Rafah, with the Biden administration saying this would cross a “red line” and refusing to provide offensive arms for such an undertaking. But so far, it hasn’t tried to stop Israel’s advances through the city.

Israel said Wednesday it seized the Philadelphi Corridor to cut off smuggling tunnels. Israeli leaders have vowed to defeat Hamas’ remaining fighters in Rafah.

The military said that a fifth brigade — up to several thousand soldiers — joined troops operating in the city on Tuesday.

Last week, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its Rafah offensive as part of South Africa’s case accusing Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza , a charge Israel vehemently denies.

U.S. SAYS A PROPOSED U.N. RESOLUTION ON GAZA CEASE-FIRE ISN’T ‘HELPFUL’

UNITED NATIONS — The United States says a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and a halt to Israel’s military operations in the southern city of Rafah “is not going to be helpful.”

Algeria, the Arab representative on the Security Council, circulated the draft resolution Tuesday evening to all 15 members after emergency council consultations about Rafah.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s Security Council monthly meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that “another resolution is not necessarily going to change anything on the ground.”

The U.S. has vetoed multiple previous Security Council resolutions demanding a cease-fire in Gaza.

Wood said the U.S. is focused on getting agreement on a temporary pause in the fighting and the release of all hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, and then working on a long-term end to the war.

U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland told the council that “agreement on a deal to achieve a cease-fire and secure the release of hostages is blocked — and as Israel rolls out a significant ground operation in and around Rafah, the devastation is only intensifying.”

Majed Bamya, the Palestinian deputy ambassador, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that adopting the resolution would be an important step “to force Israel to halt its military offensive and to withdraw its occupation forces, and to ensure an immediate cease-fire.”

The draft resolution, circulated by Algeria’s U.N. Ambassador Amar Bendjama, demands compliance with previous council resolutions calling for opening all border crossings and securing humanitarian access to Gaza’s 2.3 million people who need food and other aid. Over a million people have fled Rafah in recent weeks to other parts of Gaza, but the U.N. stresses that no place is safe.

ISRAEL AIRSTRIKES IN SYRIA KILL A CHILD AND WOUND AT LEAST 10 CIVILIANS, STATE MEDIA AND A WAR MONITOR SAY

BEIRUT — Israeli airstrikes inside Syria killed a child and wounded at least 10 civilians late Wednesday, state media and a war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the casualties were caused by an Israeli missile and a Syrian air defense missile falling on a house in the coastal city of Baniyas, and put the number of wounded civilians at 20.

Syrian news agency SANA said its air defenses confronted the incoming strikes, but did not mention falling munitions.

Strikes also targeted the area around the city of Homs, which is roughly 85 kilometers (50 miles) inland from Baniyas, the two sources said.

The war monitor said the strikes near Homs targeted the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is allied with the Syrian government, and aimed at “military site within Hezbollah’s areas of influence in the Homs countryside.” The monitor said this was the 42nd apparent Israeli attack on Syria since the beginning of 2024.

Hezbollah, Iran’s most militarily advanced proxy, has waged a low-intensity conflict with Israel since the start of the war in Gaza.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on the strikes. Israeli rarely acknowledges its strikes in Syria, but when it does it says it aims to counter Iranian influence in the country, which is a key conduit for weapons shipments from Iran to the Hezbollah. The city of Homs is roughly 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border with Lebanon.

An apparent Israeli airstrike on an Iranian Consulate in Syria last month triggered a series of escalatory attacks between Iran and Israel that threatened to set off a wider war, although the two regional archrivals have recently seemed to dial back tensions.

NIKKI HALEY WRITES ‘FINISH THEM’ ON ISRAELI ARTILLERY SHELL

JERUSALEM — Nikki Haley has signed an Israeli artillery shell with the words “finish them” while touring the country’s northern border with Lebanon.

Haley, a former contender for the Republican presidential nomination, is visiting the Mideast this week and met Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and families of Israelis taken hostage into Gaza. Haley also toured areas struck by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

Haley, who served as U.N. ambassador during the Trump administration, visited an Israeli military post Tuesday with Israel’s former ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon. His office shared the photos of the signed artillery shell.

“Finish them! America (heart) Israel. Always Nikki Haley,” read the message she left on the munition.

Haley’s visit comes as Israel faces heightened criticism for not doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza amid its war against Hamas, and days after Israeli airstrikes triggered a fire in a camp for displaced Palestinians that appeared to be one of the war’s deadliest attacks.

Israel has been battling Hezbollah militants in Lebanon along its northern border throughout he war in Gaza.

U.N. MIDEAST ENVOY SAYS GAZA WAR COULD SPARK REGIONAL CONFLICT

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations’ Mideast envoy is warning that the risk of “a regional conflagration” is mounting every day that the seven-month Israel-Hamas war in Gaza continues.

Tor Wennesland told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the West Bank “remains a pressure-cooker of negative trends,” and there are ongoing exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah militants across the Israel-Lebanon border, as well as between Syria and Israel on the Golan Heights.

“In addition to the deeply concerning escalation between Israel and Iran witnessed last month, aerial attacks toward Israel from militants in the region and Houthi attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea persisted,” he said. “This is a combustible mix.”

Wennesland, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said nearly two million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, many of them multiple times, and some 100,000 Israelis have been displaced in the country’s north and south.

“Agreement on a deal to achieve a cease-fire and secure the release of hostages is blocked and as Israel rolls out a significant ground operation in and around Rafah, the devastation is only intensifying,” Wennesland said.

He stressed that “this trajectory must change if we are to avoid further catastrophe.”

Wennesland urged Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table immediately “in good faith” and reiterated U.N. calls for the immediate release of the Israeli hostages in Gaza and a humanitarian cease-fire.

The U.N. envoy also issued an urgent call to strengthen the institutions of the Palestinian Authority “before it is too late.” He said he warned over a year ago that 30 years of state-building for the Palestinians was “at grave risk.” He said this risk is even more acute today, “and the consequences are even more serious.”

“Affirming a path to the two-state solution means preserving and safeguarding the very institutions that are meant to govern such a state,” Wennesland said. “Moreover, these institutions will be vital to the essential objective of ensuring Palestinian-led governance in Gaza.”

FRANCE’S MACRON OFFERS CONDOLENCES FOR ‘INTOLERABLE HUMAN TOLL’ OF WAR IN GAZA, IN CALL WITH PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his “sincere condolences” to the Palestinian people for the “intolerable human toll” of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, in a phone call Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The talks followed Israel’s deadly bombing of a tent camp for displaced people in Rafah on Sunday, the statement said.

Macron and Abbas called for an “immediate end” to Israel’s military intervention in Gaza in line with the International Court of Justice’s order , according to the statement.

Macron told “France’s determination to work with Algeria and its partners” at the U.N. to ensure that the Security Council expresses a “strong position” on Rafah, and to pursue efforts in support of the French draft resolution.

Abbas leads the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, cooperates with Israel on security matters and favors a negotiated two-state solution. Its forces were driven out of Gaza by Hamas when the militants seized power there in 2007.

ISRAEL SAYS ITS FORCES HAVE SEIZED CONTROL OF GAZA’S ENTIRE BORDER WITH EGYPT

JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said Wednesday it has seized control of a strategic corridor that runs along the length of Gaza’s border with Egypt. The military had no further immediate details.

Known as the Philadelphi Corridor, the narrow strip is about 100 meters (yards) wide in parts and runs the 14-kilometer (8.6-mile) length of the Gaza side of the border with Egypt. It includes the Rafah crossing into Egypt.

Smuggling tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip have been dug under the area.

The corridor is part of a larger demilitarized zone along both sides of the entire Israel-Egypt border.

Under the Egyptian-Israeli peace accord, each side is allowed to deploy only a tiny number of troops or border guards in the zone. At the time of the accord, Israeli troops controlled Gaza, until Israel withdrew its forces and settlers in 2005. Hamas has had free rein of the border since its 2007 takeover.

BRAZIL WITHDRAWS AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL AFTER PRESIDENT CRITICIZES WAR IN GAZA

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has withdrawn his ambassador to Israel after months of tensions between the two countries over the war in Gaza.

Wednesday’s move was announced in Brazil’s official gazette. Lula has been a frequent critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which he compared to the Holocaust earlier this year. That led Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz to summon the Brazilian ambassador to the national Holocaust museum in Jerusalem for a public reprimand.

Israel says its war in Gaza is a defensive action triggered by Hamas’ unprecedented assault and rejects any comparisons of its offensive to the Holocaust.

Earlier this month, Colombia broke diplomatic relations with Israel. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro had previously suspended purchases of weapons from Israel and had also compared that country’s actions in Gaza to those of Nazi Germany.

NETANYAHU COALITION PARTNER CRITICIZES HANDLING OF WAR IN GAZA

JERUSALEM — A key governing partner of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized on Wednesday the Israeli leader’s handling of the war with Hamas.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, accused Netanyahu of deluding the Israeli public with a “catchy slogan” — the goal of “total victory” over Hamas — when reality was more complex. He suggested a quick victory wasn’t possible, and that it would take three to five years to “stabilize” Gaza and “many more” to create an alternative to Hamas.

He said he doubted that destroying Hamas’ battalions in the southern Gaza city of Rafah would lead to hostages being freed, again accusing Netanyahu of “spreading a false illusion” to the Israeli public. He spoke at a security conference in central Israel.

Eisenkot, whose party joined Netanyahu’s government in the first days after the war was sparked with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, has previously criticized the government’s approach to freeing the hostages, saying only a cease-fire could secure their release.

Eisenkot called for early elections, saying they were needed to restore the public’s trust in its leadership.

Eisenkot’s National Unity party has set a June 8 ultimatum, threatening to quit the government if Netanyahu does not change tack in the war. The party is led by Benny Gantz, a popular centrist on Israel’s three-member War Cabinet.

UNITED STATES CRITICIZES ISRAEL’S FAILURE TO PROTECT CIVILIANS IN GAZA AND ITS BARRIERS TO AID

UNITED NATIONS – The United States is criticizing Israel for failing to do enough to protect Palestinian civilians, for its barriers preventing aid to flow into Gaza, and for attacks by settlers on humanitarian convoys heading to the territory.

Speaking on behalf of the Biden administration, U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood reiterated the United States’ position “that Israel must avoid a major military operation in the heart of Rafah that would put a huge number of civilians at risk.”

“We continue to believe there are alternatives to a major operation that would better advance Israel’s goal of the enduring defeat of Hamas, and also protect innocent Palestinians,” he told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.

Israel says it is carrying out limited operations in eastern Rafah along the Gaza-Egypt border but Palestinians in Rafah reported heavy fighting Wednesday as Israeli forces pressed their assault.

Wood said the United States is “heartbroken and horrified” by the death of dozens of Palestinians and serious injury to over 200 others in a tent camp for the displaced in Rafah as the result of an Israeli airstrike on May 26. The United States calls for “a swift, transparent and comprehensive investigation,” he said.

Israel has said the airstrike was aimed at two senior Hamas members who were killed, however, Wood stressed that while Israel has the right to defend itself it also has obligations to protect civilians.

“The fact that Hamas leaders and fighters hide among civilians does not lessen the requirement for Israel to conduct its operations in accordance with international humanitarian law,” he said. Those laws require combatants to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The United States also calls on Israel “to remove all barriers to the flow of aid at scale through all crossings and routes,” Wood said, stressing that “as Gaza faces famine, it is essential we increase food, fuel and supplies reaching those in need.”

And the U.S. says Israel “must connect its military operations to a political strategy that can ensure the lasting defeat of Hamas, the release of all the hostages and a better future for the Palestinian people,” Wood told the council.

“The continued pattern of significant civilian harm resulting from incidents like Sunday’s airstrikes undermines Israel’s strategic goals in Gaza,” the U,S, envoy said.

ISRAELI FORCES BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEADLY TENT CAMP FIRE IN RAFAH, SAYS PALESTINIAN HEALTH MINISTER: ‘THEY PULLED THE TRIGGER’

GENEVA — The Palestinian health minister said Wednesday that Israeli forces should not have launched airstrikes that set fire to a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians and insisted that no matter the exact cause of dozens of deaths there, “they pulled the trigger” in a military operation.

Israel’s military has suggested the airstrikes sparked a secondary explosion, possibly from Palestinian militants’ weapons, and caused the huge fire that swept through the tents. Gaza health officials say 45 people were killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the fire resulted from a “tragic mishap.”

Dr. Maged Abu Ramadan said Israeli forces never should never have attacked the zone around the tent camp.

“They know that this is an area for civilians. It was designated by the IDF itself,” he said, using an acronym for the Israeli military. “It is simple. Whatever the cause, whether it was their bomb or it was something else. It is therefore they triggered -- they pulled the trigger.”

Abu Ramadan also cited press reports about the types of weapons used by Israeli forces, insisting that no matter the size of the bombs, “killing is killing.”

He said Israel has not offered Palestinian authorities any indication about when a critical border crossing at Rafah could be reopened to allow badly needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the evacuation of wounded and ill patients.

He called on the United States to “press hard” to get Israel to reopen the crossing. Israeli troops seized the Rafah border crossing three weeks ago, and all land crossings are now entirely controlled by Israel.

Abu Ramadan is the minister of health for the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the World Health Organization’s annual assembly in Geneva.

WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN SUSPENDS MAIN OPERATIONS IN GAZA

World Central Kitchen said Wednesday that “ongoing attacks” in the Israeli offensive on Rafah had forced it to suspend operation of its main kitchen there.

The group also is having to move many of its smaller kitchens farther north in Gaza, away from the offensive, it said in a post on X.

A growing Israeli military push this month into the Rafah area in pursuit of Hamas has uprooted a million people from the city, according to the U.N. Rafah had been crowded with families seeking refuge as Israel’s offensive in Gaza pushed south across Gaza.

One of the group’s kitchens in the city of Deir al-Balah, one of the sites where displaced Palestinians are fleeing to now in their latest quest for safety, was now serving up the biggest shares of meals, World Central Kitchen said in a separate statement.

Opening Sunday of the border crossing between Gaza and Israel, which had been closed for weeks after Israeli forces took over the Palestinian side of the border, has been “critical to get much needed supplies,” World Central Kitchen said in the statement.

The group has been able to get in nearly 60 trucks in the three days since, it said.

World Central Kitchen, a global disaster relief program run by chef Jose Andres, earlier had suspended its work in Gaza after a targeted Israeli attack on April 1 killed seven of its workers. The group announced its return to operations there late last month.

SEN. GRAHAM SLAMS U.N. COURT, CALLS ITS CHIEF JUSTICE ‘ANTISEMITE’

JERUSALEM — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday slammed the top United Nations court, calling it “a joke” and its chief justice “a raving antisemite.”

Graham made the comments in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, on the senator’s fifth visit to Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.

Graham’s remarks came days after the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Israel must halt its offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah immediately.

Graham also promised action against the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor has requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his defense minister and three Hamas leaders on war crimes charges.

“We will do all we can … to hold the ICC (to) account for this outrage against the people of Israel,” said Graham, a Republican from South Carolina.

Senate Republicans have threatened sanctions against ICC personnel over the decision. The Biden administration has also criticized the decision and said it would work with lawmakers to come up with an appropriate response, should one be needed.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL SAYS WAR LIKELY TO LAST THROUGH END OF YEAR

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s national security adviser says the war with Hamas is likely to last through the end of the year.

In an interview with Israel’s Kan public broadcaster on Wednesday, Tzachi Hanegbi said “we are expecting another seven months of fighting” to destroy the military and governing capabilities of Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad militant group.

His remarks came as Israel finds itself increasingly isolated on the world stage nearly eight months into the war triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, with even the United States and other close allies expressing outrage over the toll on civilians.

Hanegbi defended Israel’s ongoing operations in Rafah, on Gaza’s border with Egypt, saying the frontier had become a “smuggling kingdom” since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007.

“Every rocket, every explosive device, every shot fired at Israel is because that border was breached,” he said.

He said Israel now controls around 75% of the narrow buffer zone between Egypt and Gaza that was created as part of the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.

Egypt has expressed grave concerns about Israel’s Rafah offensive, saying it threatens the peace treaty.

TURKISH PRESIDENT SLAMS ISRAEL’S NETANAHU, CALLING HIM A VAMPIRE AFTER STRIKES ON RAFAH

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, calling him a psychopath and a “vampire that feeds on blood” following Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah that triggered a deadly fire in a camp for displaced people.

In a speech to legislators from his ruling party, Erdogan held the United States and European nations responsible for the deaths while also criticizing the Islamic Cooperation Organization for failing to take joint action against Israel.

“Oh, the American state, this blood is on your hands also. You are responsible for this genocide at least as much as Israel. Oh, the heads of state and government of Europe, you are also a party to Israel’s genocide, this barbarism, this vampire-like act of Israel, because you remained silent,” Erdogan said.

3 ISRAELI SOLDIERS KILLED IN RAFAH, MILITARY SAYS

TEL AVIV, Israel — Three soldiers have been killed in Rafah during the ongoing fighting in the southernmost city in Gaza, the Israeli military said Wednesday.

Israeli media reported that the soldiers were killed in an ambush by an explosive device Tuesday, adding that three other soldiers were wounded.

Palestinians on Wednesday reported heavy fighting in different parts of Rafah. Israel appears to be broadening its incursion, which has already caused over 1 million people to flee the city. Most had already been displaced earlier in the war.

Israel launched what it said was a limited incursion into Rafah on May 6, focused on the Gaza-Egypt border, which it says Hamas has long used to smuggle arms. It says Rafah is the last major stronghold for Hamas, but the militants have regrouped elsewhere in Gaza.

The military says at least 290 soldiers have been killed since the ground operation in Gaza began in October.

IFRC JOINS GROWING CALLS FOR A CEASE-FIRE AND DESPERATELY NEEDED AID IN GAZA

MANILA, Philippines — The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies joined growing calls Wednesday for a cease-fire and humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip, saying these were critically needed to ease the horrific suffering of civilians trapped in the seven-month conflict.

“It’s absolutely imperative,” IFRC President Kate Forbes told The Associated Press in an interview in the Philippine capital, Manila, where she was to hold a series of meetings. “First, we have to have a government solution to get a cease-fire so that we can get access and then, we will give aid to both sides.”

Some areas need “psychosocial support and in some, it’s going to be absolute aid,” said Forbes, who rose to the presidency of the world’s largest humanitarian network in December.

“I’ve said this is both a sprint and a marathon. We need to get aid in immediately in Gaza for people who have malnutrition , there’s not adequate sanitation,” she said. “But it’s going to be a marathon in that there’s going to be aid that’s going to be needed for decades to repair Gaza and the people there.”

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Egypt Faces Hard Choices After Israeli Seizure of Gaza’s Southern Border

Egypt’s government is weighing its “cornerstone” relationship with Israel against the economic damage the war in Gaza is inflicting and against the domestic outrage over the devastation there.

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Several women, one of them holding a small child, sit on desert sand, facing away from the camera and toward an encampment.

By Aaron Boxerman and Thomas Fuller

When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel announced plans late last year to occupy a sensitive corridor of land in the Gaza Strip, along the border with Egypt, the response from Cairo was public, explicit and ominous.

“It must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations,” the Egyptian government said in a statement in English in January, weeks after Mr. Netanyahu announced plans to occupy the so-called Philadelphi Corridor. Egypt said that an Israeli military presence there would violate the 1979 peace treaty between the two countries.

This week, the Israeli military announced that it had seized “tactical control” of the corridor. Yet despite the Egyptian government facing domestic pressure to take a harsher stance on Israel following its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, there has been no public Egyptian comment on the seizure of the corridor.

The silence may be a reflection of the dilemma Egypt finds itself in after nearly eight months of war in Gaza.

Egypt and Israel view their relationship as a cornerstone of their national security, according to former Israeli and Egyptian officials, making it unlikely the Egyptian government would take substantial steps against Israel. Peace between Egypt and Israel has been an anchor of Middle East stability for 45 years.

Ezzedine Fishere, a former Egyptian diplomat, said in an interview Thursday that Egypt has hewed to a doctrine of keeping the relationship with Israel stable and protecting it “from the inevitable crises that come from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

“Egypt has been consistent in trying to shield this relationship and minimize the impact of the conflict,” Mr. Fishere said.

The Egyptian economy , fragile even before the war, has been hit by a collapse in traffic through the Suez Canal, losing billions of dollars in revenue because of ships diverted by Houthi attacks in or near the Red Sea.

Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, is alarmed by the prospect of Gazan refugees streaming across its border, is sensitive to the outrage in Egypt and across the Arab world to Israel’s bloody Gaza campaign, and is wary of the influence of Islamist groups like Hamas. Hamas grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement that Mr. el-Sisi ousted from power in a 2013 coup.

While expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, Egypt’s government has also cracked down on dissent at home. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, 120 people have been detained against the backdrop of pro-Palestinian protests in the country, of whom around 30 were ultimately released.

The Israeli military has said it advanced into the border zone in an attempt to choke off Hamas’s ability to smuggle munitions into Gaza through tunnels from Egypt. Egypt has strenuously rejected that claim, saying that over the past decade it has destroyed 1,500 tunnels and fortified the wall between Gaza and Egypt.

Israel’s move into the corridor this week was part of the Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which has prompted more than one million Palestinians, most of them already displaced from their homes, to flee the city, according to the United Nations.

Former enemies who fought several wars from 1948 to 1973, Israel and Egypt have clashed diplomatically over the Israeli campaign in Gaza, particularly over Israel’s Rafah offensive. But Egyptian and Israeli authorities now coordinate closely on security, with defense officials regularly meeting in Cairo and Tel Aviv.

“The security people will keep talking to the security people,” Mr. Fishere said. “The border will be managed jointly, and the communication continues. Both sides know that it’s in their interest.”

Even so, those ties are now being put under considerable strain.

In early May, Israel captured the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing, a vital portal for food and other goods, and it has been closed since then. Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian officials have wrangled over who is to blame for the closure and how to resume operations there.

Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster, reported on Thursday night that Israel and Egypt had agreed in principle to reopen the crossing, but the most fundamental question, who would operate it on the Gaza side, remained unanswered. The report could not immediately be confirmed.

Moreover, analysts say the prospect of Israeli forces conducting intense military operations so close to Egyptian soil has worried Egyptian and Israeli officials, who prefer to keep their militaries as separate as possible.

On Monday, at least one Egyptian soldier was killed in a shooting incident with Israeli forces near the Rafah crossing — the kind of clash that could inflame public opinion. Both sides say they are investigating the incident, and Egypt’s government and its tightly-controlled news media have downplayed it.

Egyptian officials also warned for months against Israel’s military offensive in Rafah, saying it could be catastrophic for civilians in Gaza.

Eli Shaked, a former Israeli ambassador to Cairo, said one of Egypt’s key concerns was that Israeli operations could prompt Gazans to flood across the border. As long as that prospect remains distant, whatever discontent Israel’s operation in the Philadelphi Corridor stirs in Egypt can likely be managed, said Mr. Shaked.

“Both Israel and Egypt understand their true interests,” he added. “There’s tension, disappointment and frustrations on both sides — but they are trying to keep those under the table.”

Israeli military officials have generally shied away from appearing to accuse Egypt of failing to crack down on cross-border smuggling, which some analysts called an attempt to avoid damaging the sensitive and important ties between the two countries.

On Wednesday night, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, declined to explicitly confirm that Israeli forces had uncovered cross-border tunnels in the corridor. But an Israeli military official, who briefed reporters Wednesday on condition of anonymity to comply with military protocol, said that troops had identified at least 20 tunnels running from Gaza into Egypt.

One of the tunnel networks in the area — an entrance to which lay 100 yards from the Rafah crossing — sprawled for nearly a mile underground, including a room intended as a hide-out for militants, Admiral Hagari said. Israeli forces demolished the tunnel complex with explosives, he added.

The Israeli military official said “tactical control” did not mean that Israeli forces were present at every point along the Philadelphi Corridor. But he said it meant that Israel could effectively disrupt Hamas’s supply lines, which pass through the border zone. Israeli troops, he indicated, were working to begin dismantling the tunnel network in the Rafah area.

On Wednesday night, in response to Israel’s announcement about the corridor, Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News channel quoted an unnamed senior official saying “there is no truth” to claims of tunnels under the border. But the official did not directly address Israel’s claim to control the corridor, or threaten further diplomatic action.

Aaron Boxerman is a Times reporting fellow with a focus on international news. More about Aaron Boxerman

Thomas Fuller , a Page One Correspondent for The Times, writes and rewrites stories for the front page. More about Thomas Fuller

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According to internal laws, approvals, and bilateral agreements, certain foreign nationals can stay in the Islamic Republic of Iran without obtaining visas through conventional procedures. Citizens of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Syria, Georgia, Armenia, Egypt, China, Iraq, Oman, and Kazakhstan are subject to visa waiver rules.
Iran visa requirements for Egyptian citizens
Egyptian citizens do not need a tourist visa when travelling to Iran in 2024. Egyptian passport holders can stay in Iran for a short period of time (for 21 days). Please, read all the information below to make your trip easy and safe. Don't rely on information from only one source. Please, with at least one more source listed in the link.
Traveling from Egypt to Iran: An Overview
Choosing Your Travel Route before Traveling from Egypt to Iran Air Travel. The most common and convenient way to travel from Egypt to Iran is by air. Several airlines operate flights between Cairo International Airport (CAI) and major Iranian cities such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. Flight durations can vary, with direct flights typically ...
Egyptians Can Now Travel To Iran Without A Visa
Iran has exempted Egyptian nationals from all visa requirements, reported Iranian newspaper PressTV. The new exemptions, which also cover travelers with Turkish, Lebanese, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Bolivian and Syrian passports, is aimed at boosting tourism to the country. Under the new exemptions, Egyptians and others who are exempt can stay in Iran for up to 90
25 Things to Know Before You Visit Iran
Before you visit Iran make sure you check out our 25 travel tips and things to know to make sure you get the most out of this fascinating country! ... (Egypt, Palestine, Lybia, Qatar, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Iran and India. My wife, daughter and myself went on holiday to Iran in 2012 and 2015 (for my 60th birthday). ...
Visa policy of Iran
29 July 2015: Bolivia, Egypt, Georgia, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey; 10 August 2016: Armenia; 1 November 2017: Serbia; 21 July 2019: China, Hong Kong and Macau; ... They also have to plan and book their trip with a certified local travel agency in Iran. Before the visa can be issued, the agency has to submit the applicant's day-by-day itinerary to ...
Iran International Travel Information
As noted in the Travel Advisory for Iran, U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Iran face a significant threat of kidnapping or arrest and detention on spurious charges.. U.S. citizens who travel to Iran despite the Travel Advisory should exercise caution throughout the country, but especially in the southeastern region where foreigners have been victims of criminal gangs.
Iran Travel Advisory
Travel Advisory. January 11, 2024. Iran - Level 4: Do Not Travel. O D K U T. Updated to add the Terrorism Risk Indicator and risk of surrogacy tourism. Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens. Exercise increased caution due to wrongful detentions.
Travel Advisory: Iran
Iran - Level 4: Do Not Travel. By Virtual Embassy Tehran. 17 MINUTE READ. January 26, 2023. Travel Advisory. January 26, 2023. Iran - Level 4: Do Not Travel. Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information. Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens.
Egypt and Iran explore tourism links as relations continue to thaw
Iranians would only be allowed to travel to Egypt as part of organised tours, and initially only to visit Red Sea resorts in the southern region of the Sinai Peninsula. ... Relations between Egypt and Iran began to sour in the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian revolution when the late Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat welcomed the deposed Shah Mohammad ...
Is it safe to travel to Egypt right now? 2024 travel advice
In Egypt, the main tourist resorts — Cairo, Nile cruise stops including Luxor and Aswan, and the Red Sea resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh — are all still considered safe to travel to by ...
Egypt to allow Iranians visas on arrival in Sinai as regional tensions
Egypt will soon allow Iranians travelling with tour groups to obtain visas on arrival in the south of its Sinai peninsula with a view to extending access to other parts of the country, Egyptian ...
Can Americans Travel to Iran? Yes, Here's How and What to Expect
No, they don't hate Americans. Contrary to what you see in the media, Iran is one of the friendliest and culturally-rich countries you'll ever visit. And no, they do not hate Americans or any other Western nation. That's just fear-mongering and it is far from reality. READ MORE: 6 COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TRAVEL IN IRAN.
26 Visa Free Countries for Egyptian Passport Holders
As of June 2024, Egyptian passport holders can travel visa free to 26 countries and territories: Barbados. Benin. Cook Islands. Dominica. Guinea. Haiti. Hong Kong. Iran.
Visa requirements for Iranian citizens
An Iranian passport. Visa requirements for Iranian citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of Iran by the authorities of other states. As of 2024, Iranian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 45 countries and territories, ranking the Iranian passport 96th in the world according to the Henley Passport Index.
Traveling to Egypt from Iran in 2024: Passport, Visa Requirements
Is it safe to travel to Egypt? Egypt has a current risk level of 3.40 (out of 5). We advise to use some caution when travelling to Egypt. The safety index is based on travel advisories from independent 9 sources. Safety index is provided by www.travel-advisory.info: 06/03/2024.
Travel advice and advisories for Iran
Iran - AVOID ALL TRAVEL. Avoid all travel to Iran due to the volatile security situation, the regional threat of terrorism and the possibility of arbitrary detention. You should consider leaving by commercial means if you can do so safely. Our ability to provide consular services in Iran is severely limited.
How to Travel to Iran as An American
Step 4. After 2-3 months, if approved you will receive a Visa Grant Code (also called authorization code). Step 5. Mail your Visa Grant Code + visa fee + passport to your pre-determined pick up point. Step 6. Pick up/receive your passport with an attached Iran visa. How to Guide: Iran Visa for Americans.
Iran travel advice
FCDO advises against all travel to Iran. British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arbitrary arrest, questioning or detention in Iran. Holding a British passport can be ...
Egypt eases tourist visa requirements for Iranians
Tehran, IRNA - Egyptian Minister of Tourism Ahmed Issa has said that Egypt will ease visa requirements for tourists coming from Iran. Iranian citizens can only travel to Egypt through tourism agencies and visit southern Sinai, he added. Ahmed Issa in a press conference on Monday announced that Egypt will ease visa requirements for tourists ...
Travel Requirements Guide
International Travel Requirements. For travel from the United States (U.S.), make sure you have all required travel documents, including any visas and a valid passport. Find out more about your destination's entry requirements using our interactive Delta Discover Map.
Blinken to Visit Israel and Three Arab States Next Week
The U.S. secretary of state is expected to visit Israel, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan over three days. By Michael Crowley reporting from Washington Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken plans to visit ...
Blinken to Travel to Middle East to Press for Gaza Ceasefire
By Humeyra Pamuk. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East next week, the U.S. State Department said on Friday, as Washington tries to put ...
Should you visit Morocco or Egypt?
Enchanting Egypt. Dr Jenny Walker has spent 25 years working in the Middle East and has covered Egypt among other regional destinations in multiple Lonely Planet guidebooks. She recently drove 8500km (5300 miles) from Oman to her home in northern Spain. "It's sublime," a friend newly returned from Morocco said.
The Latest
Smuggling tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip have been dug under the area. The corridor is part of a larger demilitarized zone along both sides of the entire Israel-Egypt border. Under the Egyptian-Israeli peace accord, each side is allowed to deploy only a tiny number of troops or border guards in the zone.
Egypt Faces Hard Choices After Israeli Seizure of Gaza's Southern
Egypt's president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, is alarmed by the prospect of Gazan refugees streaming across its border, is sensitive to the outrage in Egypt and across the Arab world to Israel's ...
Rafah border crossing can't reopen unless Israeli forces quit Gaza side
The Rafah border crossing critical to aid deliveries into Gaza from Egypt cannot operate again unless Israel relinquishes control and hands it back to Palestinians on the Gaza side, Egyptian ...