An Iranian minister said the Islamic Republic is ready to “open doors to people worldwide.”
Iran announced on Wednesday new visa-exempt entry benefits for citizens of 33 countries, including Qatar, as part of its strategic initiative to “open the doors of the country to the world,” said Ezzatollah Zarghami, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, as reported Iranian media.
This policy reflects Iran’s commitment to fostering global connections and enhancing its cultural and tourism appeal, explained Zarghami.
The decision sends a clear message to the international community about Iran’s readiness to welcome visitors, according to the minister, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the government session on Wednesday.
Zarghami also said he believes that the new policy will help dispel negative stereotypes and counter the phenomenon of “Iranophobia perpetuated by the global arrogance system.”
Originally, the ministry had proposed visa-free access for 60 nations, but the government only released approval for 33 countries.
Iranian media also reported on Wednesday, that from December 19 onwards, Iranian citizens will have the opportunity to travel to Saudi Arabia on regular flights for Umrah, marking the first time in eight years that Iranians can do so.
Iran and Saudi Arabia severed ties in 2016 after Saudi Arabia executed a Shi’ite Muslim cleric and the subsequent storming of Riyadh’s embassy in Tehran.
For years, there have been no regular direct flights between the two countries. A few irregular direct flights from Iran carried hajj pilgrims.
The semi-governmental Fars News Agency highlighted that ten Iranian airports would facilitate flights for pilgrims heading to Mecca. The inaugural group is scheduled to depart on December 19.
The 33 countries benefiting from Iran’s visa-free policy are the following: the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, India, Russia, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus.
“Iran’s tourism experienced a growth of 48.5% in the first eight months of this year, attracting 4.4 million and 400 thousand visitors motivated by trade, medical treatment, pilgrimage, and tourism,” Moslem Shojai, who presides over the ministry’s foreign tourism marketing and development office, said on Tuesday, as reported by Tehran Times.
