Official name: Islamic Republic of Iran. The common name of the country is Iran. On March 21, 1935, the Iranian government announced that the old name of the country “Persia”, which since then has been referred to only by the Persian word “Iran”, is not allowed in official documents on the part of foreign representatives. According to itypemba.com, Tehran is the capital city of Iran.
A state in Southwest Asia between the Caspian Sea in the north and the seas of the Indian Ocean (Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea) in the south. Iran borders on land in the west with Iraq and Turkey, in the north with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, in the east with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Visa to Iran
You need a visa to visit Iran.
Customs
You can freely import and export foreign currency into Iran. It is forbidden to import weapons and explosives, alcohol (!), drugs, pornography and any materials that can offend the national religion and moral standards. If you plan to take valuables, antiques and carpets out of the country, it is recommended to have a document proving the purchase.
Money and currency exchange
It is better to exchange currency in bank branches and specialized exchange offices (in the latter, transactions are completed faster, and the rate varies by a penny). It is strongly not recommended to exchange currency at street money changers.
Credit cards and traveler’s checks are not in use in Iran. Despite a decent number of ATMs in sight (especially in Tehran), most of them operate only with local credit cards.
Need to know
- No special vaccinations are required to visit Iran.
- On the territory of the country, it is recommended to drink bottled water, not to get carried away with ice in drinks ordered in public places, and to exercise common sense when choosing a restaurant.
- Alcohol is banned in Iran.
- Smoking is also prohibited in public places. There are places for smoking, but they are disastrously few.
- The public dress code in Iran is enshrined in law, and its implementation by tourists is monitored more strictly than by local residents. Men are not allowed to wear shirts that open their arms above the elbow, and pants above the ankles. Women are required to cover their hands to the wrist and legs to the ankle. Wearing a headscarf (rusari) for women is mandatory. You can’t appear in public in tight clothes; over the clothes that emphasize the silhouette, you are supposed to wear a special cape – a mantle. Skirts can only be worn very long and wide (and, of course, opaque).
- Iranian cuisine is one of the richest and most delicious cuisines in the world. The main ingredients are: rice, bread, fresh vegetables and herbs. And more than twenty types of barbecue and kebab will surprise even the most sophisticated meat-eater.
- It is forbidden to photograph military installations and government institutions. Local residents can only be photographed with their permission.
- In a conversation, it is better not to touch on issues of Islam, local customs and Iran’s position in the international arena. Topics of the United States and everything connected with it are also recommended to be avoided. – On the street you can often meet Iranians who speak English, especially among young people. French is more commonly spoken among the older generation.
- The overall level of crime in Iran is quite low, despite this, cases of theft of handbags and briefcases by motorcyclists passing by are not uncommon. While in the car, it is necessary to lock the doors. We recommend that you carefully monitor your bags and wallet in any situation.
- Beaches in Iran are divided into male and female.
- From Saturday to Thursday – working days, day off – Friday.
Climate of Iran
Iran has a wide variety of climatic zones. In general, the country’s climate can be described as sharply continental, with large temperature fluctuations at different times of the year. Aridity is one of the distinguishing features of the Iranian climate. Few precipitation falls from October to April. On the southern coast of Iran, very hot and humid summers (over 40 ° C) combined with mild winters; in the north-west of the country, on the contrary, very cold winters with heavy snowfalls, and in summer there is no sweltering heat. To choose the perfect time to visit Iran, it is recommended to first decide on the destination: Tehran can be quite comfortable in the summer, and unbearable heat will reign in the resorts of the Persian Gulf at this time.
Shopping and souvenirs
The ancient Persian land, like no other, is rich in breathtaking… not even souvenirs, no! – works of art. Everything that a person processes – wood, fabric, metal – is elevated here to the category of masterpieces: colorful stoles are manually stuffed with multicolors, porcelain is painted with the finest ideal patterns, and the chasing seems to have just been taken from the palace of some wealthy nobleman.
The first in popularity, of course, are Persian carpets. The choice is not easy to make, as the offer strikes anyone, even the richest imagination. Contrary to popular belief, they are not worth their weight in gold: you can always find an affordable option. Pay attention to the most beautiful openwork carving on metal “kalamzani”, inlay on wood and bone “khatam”, amazing enamels “mina”, ceramics and earthenware “sofalgari”, volumetric woodcarving “monabbat”. Women are guaranteed to fall in love with printed fabrics “kalamkar sazi” and colorful shawls and bedspreads “patedusi”, with an abundance of bright colors reminiscent of Russian folk shawls. You can read more about Iranian folk crafts in English on the website of the National Tourism Office.
From Iran, you can also bring gold items – gold is traditionally of high quality here – and jewelry with Nishapur turquoise. From edible souvenirs, it is worth buying spices and precious saffron from Khorasan, Iranian sweets and black caviar from the Caspian Sea. Isfahan is famous for its distilled rose water.
