Iran to ease visa access except for US and UK

[webfact]

Iran to ease visa access except for US and UK



TEHRAN: -- Iran is to issue visas for all foreign nationals upon their arrival at Iranian airports, except for those from Britain, the US and seven other countries. Visas in those cases must still be applied for in their home countries.

The move is aimed at promoting tourism with the numbers of foreign visiters having recently increased by over 12 percent .

The boost in tourists appears to have been triggered by the signing of a nuclear deal between Tehran and the Group 5+ (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) which came into force in January.

The seven other countries are thought to include Pakistan Canada Somalia Bangladesh Iraq Jordon Afghanistan but the list is yet to be confirmed.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-02-16

[BKKBrit]

Oh hum. It's a country I have always wanted to visit and friends who have been there have nothing bad to say about the friendly locals and the food. It's officialdom that frightened the c**p out of them.

[daveAustin]

What a bunch of kids. NK would have to be on my bucket list before the ayatollahs and that's a real pig to get into.

[Jingthing]

Aw shucks. I have to go to the U.S. to get my visa for Iran? And I was so looking forward to attending the Gay Freedom Day Parade this year in Tehran.

[Baerboxer]

Aw shucks. I have to go to the U.S. to get my visa for Iran? And I was so looking forward to attending the Gay Freedom Day Parade this year in Tehran.

While attending don't forget to mention your Jewish too.

They'll just love you.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Funny how Iran is seen even if looking at the history clearly show US and Europe hegemony and the Sha reign were the ignition of this.

Please let me know which country Iran invaded so far in modern History?

Now compare it to the USA and Europe

[craigt3365]

I've been looking at a tour there. The booking company replied "it's not an easy, nor guaranteed, process". LOL

[fvw53]

Aw shucks. I have to go to the U.S. to get my visa for Iran? And I was so looking forward to attending the Gay Freedom Day Parade this year in Tehran.

While attending don't forget to mention your Jewish too.

They'll just love you.

Do not confuse Iran with Saudi Arabia

Iran still has a local Jewish community (one of them has a seat in parliament) - there is also a Christian community in Iran

[Jingthing]

Aw shucks. I have to go to the U.S. to get my visa for Iran? And I was so looking forward to attending the Gay Freedom Day Parade this year in Tehran.

While attending don't forget to mention your Jewish too.

They'll just love you.

Do not confuse Iran with Saudi Arabia

Iran still has a local Jewish community (one of them has a seat in parliament) - there is also a Christian community in Iran

It's tiny, it's aging, and they aren't free to say what they really think.

Especially if they support the existence of Israel, which of course most do.

Don't be fooled by Iranian propaganda.

The seat in parliament is for propaganda purposes to push the lie that their policies are "just" anti-Zionist and not against Jewish people.

Iran is a major state sponsor of terror organizations, the previous leader was an open holocaust denier, and their state policy is to end Israel.

Yes, I realize there are many nice, friendly, and CUTE people there.

Pray they are freed someday from their messed up Islamist regime ... don't make excuses for it.

Anyway, enjoy your holidays there. I'm sure there are great sights to see, but frankly I'm certain you can get much better Persian food in LOS ANGELES!

In restaurants I mean.

If you can get invited to Iranian HOMES, then you would get the really great stuff.

A nice Iranian guy speaking up, with face covered:

[Chicog]

A British mate of mine went to Kish Island. He said it was very nice.

[Galactus]

i have been in Iran and traveled around for some time by land.

it is one of the safest countries around. especially for female tourists.

it is a nice place too. Isfahan is magical, you have to see there before you die especially during a full moon. Persepolis old city is a must see and Shiraz perfect. Kom was great too but after the big earthquake there a decade ago, city turn in to rubble.

Kish island is nice as well.

and locals have no problems with Jews and gays or Murricans actually. very generous and kind people. problems are between the politicians as usual. Iran all i know is the only country offers free sex change operations for its gay citizens.

they are a lot more civilized people than you might imagine.

[JetsetBkk]

I got these pictures in an email not long ago:

Iran 1970:

Iran 2012:

[Ulic]

I guess they still have not forgiven Canada for hiding the US embassy staff. Oh well.

[Prbkk]

Oh hum. It's a country I have always wanted to visit and friends who have been there have nothing bad to say about the friendly locals and the food. It's officialdom that frightened the c**p out of them.

lovely country, great people. The only hassle used to be at immigration where it was necessary to sit and wait while they scrutinised the visa. But once inside the country the people could not have been more friendly...repeated over 4 or 5 visits spanning a decade or more, as well as one when the Shah was still alive which was not as pleasant.

[Prbkk]

I can judge them. Not sure what planet you're from but executing people for being gay is wrong. It's barbaric and it's a barbaric culture that does that.

Don't bother with your Jew baiting games either.

Well, yes... That is awful but I didn't get the feeling that the people were like that in any way, more the nutters that came to power following the decades of US sponsored terror

[samran]

I can judge them. Not sure what planet you're from but executing people for being gay is wrong. It's barbaric and it's a barbaric culture that does that.

Don't bother with your Jew baiting games either.

All executions are barbaric. Won't stop me going to the U.S. or Iran.

Exposure to the outside world is the only way things are going to change.

I'm not going to equate the mad mullahs with the normal everyday Iranians who have to be one of the most hospitable peoples anywhere.

[tartempion]

I have Bam on my short list, guess however not much left after the earth quake.

Still need to visit Carcasonne also, probably to do with the massacre of the Cathars.

[samran]

I have Bam on my short list, guess however not much left after the earth quake.

Still need to visit Carcasonne also, probably to do with the massacre of the Cathars.

I'd like to try skiing there. And sit by the caspian tasting Iranian caviar...

[Jingthing]

Not knocking the desire to visit. Just knocking the regime and the Islamist fundamentalism. Many nice people of course.

Executing a murderer is not the same thing as executing people for being gay.

[Sheryl]

A completely off topic post has been removed, along with an offensive one.

[Prbkk]

I have Bam on my short list, guess however not much left after the earth quake.

Still need to visit Carcasonne also, probably to do with the massacre of the Cathars.

I'd like to try skiing there. And sit by the caspian tasting Iranian caviar...

Didn't try the caviar but was taken to the Bobby Sands cafe. That did strike me as unusually bad taste given the circumstances of his death.

[norfolkandchance]

Night stop in Tehran 1973 brillant

[dexterm]

I have Bam on my short list, guess however not much left after the earth quake.

Still need to visit Carcasonne also, probably to do with the massacre of the Cathars.

I'd like to try skiing there. And sit by the caspian tasting Iranian caviar...

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dark-Tourist-Sightseeing-Destinations/dp/1847398464

by Dom Joly...quite a funny account of his skiing trip to Iran and other "Axis of Evil" places.

Also, http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2008/feb/24/iran.skiing

[norfolkandchance]

I like skiing in Isreal

[Rayk]

One of the last places I would ever consider going on a holiday unless I was wanting a permanent one.

[norfolkandchance]

One of the last places I would ever consider going on a holiday unless I was wanting a permanent one.

Where do you ski then

[norfolkandchance]

i just love Mount Sinai

[CMHomeboy78]

Night stop in Tehran 1973 brillant

Hippie Trail in 1976.

Tabriz... Tehran... Isfahan... Mashhad..

Sure, brilliant in a lot of ways, but ghastly in others.

The chain gang being marched in lockstep back into Evin Prison every night was like a scene from hell that made your blood run cold.

Nobody who travelled overland across Asia in those days would forget Iran anytime soon.

[Thorgal]

Isfahan and Teheran are the most 'liberal' cities in Iran.

Iran government is aiming on touristic development: they've just signed a mega contract with French Airbus for 114 new planes valued 18 billion EUR. Apparently they don't feel sorry for Boeing and others since the releave of the embargo.

They aren't really kean on providing visas and maintaining stronger economic relationships...with the UK and US...

[katana]

I can judge them. Not sure what planet you're from but executing people for being gay is wrong. It's barbaric and it's a barbaric culture that does that.

Don't bother with your Jew baiting games either.

All executions are barbaric. Won't stop me going to the U.S. or Iran.

Exposure to the outside world is the only way things are going to change.

I'm not going to equate the mad mullahs with the normal everyday Iranians who have to be one of the most hospitable peoples anywhere.

Yes, but if you went there, you wouldn't be executed for the crime of just being you, as a gay person would. At least in the US, you would have to commit a crime first before facing the death penalty.