Speak farsi-Irandoostan

Learn to speak Farsi for your travel to Iran

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On your travel to Iran, you may need to Speak farsi (Persian) with some Iranians who may not know the English language, so it would be perfect to know some key phrases in Persian, so that Persian native speakers can help you. Here are some key words and phrases in Persian (Farsi) for your travel to Iran.

And if you are planning to travel to Iran, here is the link to online Iran visa.

                  English                Pronunciation           Persian (Farsi)
Hello Salam سلام
Good bye Khoda Hafez خداحافظ
See you later! Ba’adan mibinamet بعداً میبینمت
Good morning Sobh be kheir صبح بخیر
Good night Shab be kheir شب بخیر
Good evening Asr be kheir عصر بخیر
How are you? Chetori?/halet chetori? چطوری؟
I’m fine Man khoobam من خوبم
I miss you Delam barat tang shode دلم برات تنگ شده
What’s new? What’s up? Che khabar? چه خبر؟
Nothing much Khabari nist خبری نیست
Thank you Mamnoon ممنون
Say hi to John for me Be John salam bereson به جان سلام برسون
You’re welcome Khahesh mikonam

Ghabeli nadasht

 خواهش میکنم

قابلی نداره
Don’t worry! Negaran nabashi نگران نباش
Excuse me (to get someone’s attention) Bebakhshid ببخشید
Sorry Bebakhshid ببخشید
Have a nice day Rooze khobi dashte bashi روز خوبی داشته باشی
What is your name? Esmet chie? اسمت چیه؟
My name is … Esme man … ast اسم من…است
Pleased to meet you

Nice to meet you

 Az didane shoma khoshalam از دیدن شما خوشحالم
Bon appetit / Have a nice meal Nooshe jan نوش جان
Bon voyage / Have a good journey Safar be kheir سفر بخیر
Where’s the toilet/bathroom? Dastshoyi kojas? دستشویی کجاس؟
What time is it? Saat chande? ساعت چنده؟
It’s 10 o’clock.

07:30pm

 Saat dah ast.

Saat haft-o nim-e ba’ad az zohr ast.

 ساعت ده است

ساعت هفت و نیم بعداز ظهر است
How much is it Gheymate in chand ast? قیمت این چند است؟
Give me some discount Be man takhfif bede. به من تخفیف بده
It is expensive In geran ast. این گران است
I’m hungry Man gorosne hastam. من گرسنه هستم
I’m thirsty Man teshneh hastam. من تشنه هستم
Where do you come from? Ahle koja hasti? اهل کجا هستی؟
I come from Spain Man ahle Spania hastam. من اهل اسپانیا هستم
I understand Mifahmam. میفهمم
I don’t understand Man nemifahmam. نمیفهمم
I don’t know Nemidoonam. نمیدونم
I need a doctor Man niaz be doctor daram. من نیازبه دکتر دارم
I feel sick Man mariz hastam. من مریض هستم
Please say that again Lotfan dobare begoo. لطفاً دوباره بگو
Please speak more slowly Lotfan ahest-e tar sohbat kon. لطفاً آهسته تر صحبت کن
Please write it down Lotfan benevisesh. لطفاً بنویسش
I speak Persian (Farsi) a little Man Farsi kam baladam. من فارسی کم بلدم
What Does … Mean in English?(an object or a word) In be englisi chi mishe? این به انگلیسی چی میشه؟
What Is This In chi hast? این چی هست؟
I’m lost Man gom shodam. من گم شدم
I have to go to… (a place) Man bayad beram be… من باید برم به…
Can I help you? Mitonam komaket konam? میتونم کمکت کنم؟
Can you help me? Mitoni komakam koni? میتونی کمکم کنی؟
Merry Christmas Christmas mobarak کریسمس مبارک
Happy New Year Sal-e no mobarak سال نو مبارک
Happy Birthday Tavalodet mobarak تولدت مبارک
Congratulations! Tabrik migam تبریک میگم
Good luck! Movafagh bashi موفق باشی
Bless you (when sneezing) Afiat bashe عافیت باشه
Good/ Bad/ So-So Khoob /Bad(the same as English term)/taghriban خوب / بد/ تقریباً
Today/ Now Emrooz/ Al’an امروز / الان
Tomorrow/ Yesterday Farad/ Dirooz فردا / دیروز
Here you go! (when giving something) Befarmaeed بفرمایید
Hurry up! Zood bash زود باش
Do you like it? Doosesh dari? دوسش داری؟
I really like it! Man doosesh daram. من دوسش دارم
Call the police Be police zang bezan. به پلیس زنگ بزن
Yes Baleh بله
No Nah نه
Friend Doost دوست
Pharmacy Daroo khaneh داروخانه
Hospital Bimarestan بیمارستان
Fire Atash آتش
Help Komak کمک
Why Chera چرا؟
Who Che kasi? چه کسی؟
What Chi? چی؟
How Chetor? چطور؟
Where Koja? کجا؟
When Kay? کی؟
Stop! Eest ایست
Really! Vaghean? واقعاً
Look! Negah kon نگاه کن
Please Lotfan لطفاً
I Man من
You (singular) To تو
He/She Ou او
It Oon اون
We Ma ما
You Shoma شما
They Ishan ایشان
Wife Zan / khanoom زن / خانم
Husband Shohar شوهر
Spouse Hamsar همسر
Son/boy Pesar پسر
Daughter/girl Dokhtar دختر
Mother Madar مادر
Father Pedar پدر
Sister Khahar خواهر
Brother Baradar برادر
Mr. /Man Agha آقا
Mrs. /Ms. /Lady Khanom خانم
English Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Persian Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Persian Pronunciation Sefr Yek Dow Seh Chahar Panj Shish Haft Hasht Noh Dah
English Numbers 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Persian Numbers 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Persian Pronunciation Bist See Chehel Panjah Shast Haftad Hashtad Navad Sad
Iranian currency

Iranian currency information for travelers

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Iranian currency information for travelers

You arrive in Imam Khomeini airport in Iran, you pick up your backpack from the luggage belt, the officer at immigration checks your passport and stamps your Iranian visa with a big welcoming smile; now what? You need money to get to your hotel! There are tips you should know about Iranian currency when traveling to Iran.

Rials or Tomans? A matter of confusion.
By the time you arrive in Iran you come up with the question that what is Iran Currency? The price labels are in Rial while the people talk about prices in Toman. The fact is that Iran’s official currency is Rial. However, you will see and hear Toman a lot more commonly in the country.
Toman is one tenth of a Rial. So, when purchasing, if someone quotes 23000 Toman (or 23 Toman), it works out to be 230,000 Rial.
Most prices written on the items in the bazaars, stores, or restaurants are in Toman but to avoid mistakes, always double-check the price to make sure whether it is Rial or Toman.

Bring Cash
Bring cash in enough US dollars or euro or UK Pound for the duration of your trip. These currencies are most preferred in Iran’s banks or the private exchange offices named Sarāfi. You cannot use visa or Master card or to withdraw any cash from ATM machines due to the sanctions on banks of Iran. Whichever currency you choose, the most important thing to remember is to bring as much cash as you’re likely to need, even a bit more.

Changing Money
Changing money is possible in all Iranian banks; however, it would take considerably shorter time to do it through official money-exchange offices (Sarāfi) in the cities or even at your hotel, with a taxi driver or in the jewelry section of the bazaar where the whole deal is done in seconds. The Sarāfi offices offer you a better rate of exchange compare to the banks and you can find Sarāfis at the airports, large cities, and tourist centers.
In Tehran, Ferdowsi square is famous as the center of Sarāfi offices which is convenient to access through Metro, there is a Metro station right in the corner of the square.

You can check out the most updated Iranian Rila rates in http://www.xe.com/currency/irr-iranian-rial

Persian Cuisine, a Healing Medicine for the Body and Soul

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Persian cuisine is not just ancient and cosmopolitan; it is also therapeutic for the body and soul. The legendary physician and philosopher Avicenna describes in his great book “The Canon of Medicine” the healing and beneficial aspects of different foods, fruits, and vegetables for the body. He explains every human body has a temperament that must be in balance with food and drinks. On your travel to Iran, you might hear some foods are cold or hot. For instance, walnut, pepper, and lamb have hot nature, while apple, green tea, and fish do not. Every city in every province of Iran has hundreds of dishes local to the area for every season of the year, so we picked a few of the most famous ones you must try on your visit to Iran.

Persian Cuisine: Kebab

In the restaurant menus, you will most definitely see Kebabs. Kebab is grilled meat such as filet mignon, chicken, ground beef, or fish served with Chelo with grilled tomato and pepper. Iranians are proud of their skills in preparing rice, and there are different ways to cook them, such as Chelo, Polo, Abkesh, and Kateh. Chelo is fluffy Persian rice with some saffron rice on top.

Polo is mixed rice usually served with chicken, lamb, beef, or fish. Zereshk Polo is one of the most popular Polos that has Persian barberries and saffron, and you mostly see it served with chicken. Another is lima bean and dill rice, usually served with lamb shank next to the chicken.

Persian cuisine

In the Iranian restaurant menus you will mostly see Kebabs; one of the bests of Persian Cuisine.

Persian Cuisine: Different kinds of Stews

There is a huge variety of Iranian stews. Each region of the country has its own unique stew that is made with its local and seasonal ingredients. The majorities are made with both meat and vegetables and there are some that are made with vegetables only. The three main stews in Iran are Fesenjan, Gheymeh, and Ghorm-e Sabzi. All stews are served with Chelo (white fluffy rice).

Fesenjan is one of the most popular stews is made with pomegranate sauce, walnut, and chicken or ground beef. It is a local food form the northern part of Iran and has a sweet and sour taste. It is not a common item on the restaurant menu because the food is served in special occasions such as weddings or formal parties. The other popular stew is Gheymeh and this one is pretty common in most restaurants in the country. The main ingredients of this tasty stew are tomato paste, lintels, dried lime, and beef with the addition of either French fries on top or eggplant instead. The delicious Ghorm-e Sabzi is served in most restaurants too and is made with a mixture of herbs, kidney beans, and dried limes.

Gheimeh Stew - Persian Cuisine

Persian Cuisine: Gheimeh Stew

Fish

Sea food is mostly popular on the north and south coasts and it is less consumed in the central areas of Iran. The way of cooking fish in north of Iran is very different from the south. In Khuzestan-a southern province- the fish and shrimp are mostly served as a stew made with cilantro, tomato, tamarind sauce, and plenty of spices and it is called Ghalieh Mahi (fish stew) or Ghalieh Meygoo (shrimp stew). Along the Caspian coasts Shoor Mahi is very popular which is a heavy salted fish and is served with Kateh (Persian style cooked rice).

Dizi

Dizi is totally different from other foods. The ingredients are lamb, tomato, onion, potato, chickpeas and it is flavored by turmeric. The juice is served separately that you can dip bread in it and the solid materials will be crushed and mixed together and will be served with the broth.

Dizi or Abgusht is a traditional Iranian food!

Kufte Tabrizi

If you are visiting Tabriz during your stay in Iran make sure that you try the most famous dish of the city, Kufteh Tabrizi. It is a big meatball and some of its ingredients are rice, ground beef, yellow split peas, leeks, mint, parsley, onion, walnuts, dried apricots, barberries, and Persian spices and is cooked in tomato paste.

Kufte Tabrizi - Persian Cuisine

Persian Cuisine: Kufte Tabrizi

Beryani

In addition to enjoying the gorgeous mosques, ornate domes, and ancient bridges in Isfahan the Beryani is another highlight of this city. This dish is prepared by shoulder lamb and onion and after the lamb is cooked by a special process then it’s fried. At the end the lamb will be grinded or chopped very finely. Beryani is served on bread and some cinnamon on top.

Sholeh

Every city you go in Iran has its own native soup known as Aash. Mashhad has its own Ash as well and it’s called Sholeh. It has different beans, rice, grains, Mung bean, bulgur wheat, and lamb shank. It takes a lot of effort to make Shole so it is not common to make it at home. It is cooked for religious mourning ceremonies in very big portions and is distributed among people.

Drink (Doogh)

The traditional beverage accompanying Persian food specifically Kebab is Doogh. It is a yogurt-drink and to your surprise it has a sour taste not sweet, flavored by salt and mint and if you wish it can be carbonated as well.

Make sure you try at least one of these dishes while in Iran!

These are some of our most favorite local dishes from Shiraz, Yazd, Qazvin, and Kashan. You won’t find them in the restaurant menus, so on your trip to one of these cities accept a dinner invitation and keep your hopes up high the host will serve you one of their local dishes.

Kalam Polo

This is one of the traditional Persian Cuisine, typical of Shiraz that will make your trip to this city just perfect. It’s a combination of aromatic herbs, rice, and meatballs. Kalam Polo meaning cabbage rice is made with chopped cabbage roasted with dill, tarragon, basil, and parsley.  This delicious mixture will be cooked with rice and meatballs and of course the addition of saffron and turmeric. And the final touch to make this delicious dish even more delightful is placing some caramelized onion on top.

Aash Shooli

Aash or Aash is a thick soup depending on which region of Iran, is cooked with different ingredients. It is one of the main favorite dishes among Iranians especially on cold days in winter. Turkish and Azerbaijani cuisines have Aush too. Aash Shooli of Yazd is a very nutritious soup made with spinach, parsley, fenugreek, beet, onion, peppermint, lentils, salt pepper and turmeric and it’s seasoned with vinegar or pomegranate paste!

Gheymeh Nesar

The taste of Persian barberries, pistachio, cinnamon, rose water, turmeric, cardamom, and saffron will take you to the magnificent feast of a Persian king in his exotic palace with all the gorgeous decorations on the walls and silk carpets on the floor. Gheymeh Nesar of Ghazvin is one of the bests in Persian Cuisine. It is a food mostly made for special events. The topping of the rice has almond, pistachio, orange pill slices, Persian barberries, and lamb meat.

Goosht-Loobia

Literally meaning meat and bean is simple to cook that is in harmony with the lifestyle of the locals. Once the ingredients go in the pot there is nothing else that needs to be done, just wait for it to be cooked and ready. This process is very convenient for the lady of the house who has many other domestic jobs such as carpet weaving or taking care of livestock. The ingredients are meat that must be the leg of lamb, beans, onion, salt and a generous amount of turmeric and water.

Iran transport information

Iran Transport Information

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Iran Transport Information

If you are traveling to Iran by yourself without the help of a tour operator, you might need to know about Iran transport information. To arrive in Iran you can choose air, rail, or bus system depending on where are you coming from. Once you are inside the country the public transportation in big cities are available in a low price for everyone.

If you are planning to travel to Iran, here is the link to online Iran visa.

Taxi

Taxis are widely available in big and small cities. You can either hail a private or a shuttle taxi. Shuttle taxis travel between the main streets and squares of the city so you need to know the name of the street or the square. Sometimes to arrive at your destination you might need to hop on more than one shuttle taxi or you can hail for a private ride which will be more expensive. To hail a private taxi you can say ‘Dar Bast’ to the driver and he will take you to your destination at any location in the city. It is the best to agree on a price before you get in the car.

For a shuttle or a shared taxi, you can find the taxi stations on almost all the squares and most of the main streets of the city. You will see a lot of yellow or green taxis waiting on their stations to be filled and take off toward their destination. Taxis wait on lines with the name of their destinations written on a sign next to each line. If you do not see a taxi station step on the road and shout the name of your destination for the taxis going on your way and the one that is going to your destination will stop.

There are also agency taxis or telephone taxis that every hotel and household knows one and has the number of their local agency taxis and they can call and ask for a car to your destination. The agency taxi is more expensive than the shuttle and it can stick around with you all day or you can hire it for your entire stay.

Also there is a special taxi for ladies only, in the big cities. All the drivers are women and they will accept lady customers only. You can reserve a taxi by calling them at 1814 and they are starting their online services on their website http://taxibanovan.com/.

  • If you are going to use Tehran’s subway and bus services pretty often during your stay, purchase an electronic ticket from a bus or metro station. Using the electronic ticket for the metro will cost you less than purchasing a regular ticket for every trip, but it has the same price for the bus trips. The e-tickets are easy to use since you charge it any amount you wish and do not need to stay in the line of purchasing a ticket for every trip you want to take.

Bus

There is bus transportation in all cities of Iran, and in big cities like Tehran, it is the best way to escape the traffic and crowded streets of city centers. Tehran has BRT (bus rapid transit) system which runs 24/7 in ten different lines throughout the city. You can check out the map here. The fee for every trip is 5000 Rials for the bus with or without the e-ticket.

Minibusses in Tehran are almost extinct since the bus system has improved in the recent years, except in some less developed areas of the city.

Metro (underground subway)

Tehran’s subway has four lines running in different directions plus one extra line that goes to Karaj. Subway gives you the fastest reach to almost any location in Tehran, you just need to find out which line is the best for your destination and if you need to change your train figure out on which station you must move to another line. Plus on the boards in the trains the name of the stations are in Farsi only but in the stations and on this map the English name is available. Keep in mind that the subway during the rush hours 7-9 am, 4-7 pm is very crowded. The fee for a trip with the e-ticket starts from 2000 Rials and it goes up depending on the time you were using the metro. If you do not use the e-ticket and purchase a ticket, the one-way ticket is 6000 Rial and a two-way ticket is 10,000 Rials.

On the Road

If you are looking for Iran transport information, travel between the cities is the best by train and bus. Both are very comfortable and have fair pricing. There are VIP buses for longer trips that are very comfortable with a service box of juice and cookies. You can purchase the bus tickets at the terminal since the websites are in Farsi only also visa or master cards do not work in Iran yet, due to banking sanctions.

For transportation between cities you can choose railway as well and if you are traveling in a group you can purchase the ticket for a four to six seated wagons that the seats turn into a bed for a comfortable night sleep as well. Some railways systems, such as Tehran-Mashhad, have different quality levels, from more luxuries to ordinary classifications. For the railways, you need to purchase the tickets at the terminal.

There are private cars as well to transport you between the cities which will take four passengers to the destination and might be at the same price as the bus fare but it is less comfortable compared to the bus or train specially for longer journeys.

Safety and Health Information for Iran Travelers

Safety and Health Information for Iran Travelers

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Safety and Health Information for Iran Travelers

“Even the tap water Iran is safe!” This sentence, among all the weblogs written by numerous travelers that wrote about their travel experience in Iran, was the simplest yet most comprehensive statement about safety and health information for Iran travelers. The sentence is from Silvia’s weblog a dual American and Norwegian citizen who traveled to Iran with her Norwegian passport in 2014. Silvia is not the only female traveler who had a journey across Iran by herself and was absolutely surprised by the safety of the country for a solo female traveler. Obviously reading about real experiences such as Silvia’s is more trustworthy than the travel guides by the governments who picture a scary image of Iran on their guides for the readers.

Iran Safety

Any traveler who enters Iran regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or multiple nationalities are warmly welcomed by Iranian guards as long as their Iran visa or documents to obtain visa upon arrival is official and they do not have the Israel stamp on their passport.

The countries on the region such as Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan have been experiencing conflicts for so long now, but thanks to all the strict control by Iranian military, Iran is absolutely a safe country. Iran also managed not to become a target for Isis attacks.

Travelling to Sistan and Balouchestan province close to Afghanistan and Pakistan border for those who want to visit the Burnt City, one of 19 UNESCO world heritage of Iran, is absolutely possible if you request it from your tour operator or if you are a solo traveler by using the help of a guide who is familiar with the area.

In general, for any traveler who wants to visit any country it is advised to look for their security and do lookout for weird situations but do not let it to be your entire focus during your travel. For example, you are expected to watch for your valuable belongings, documents and passport especially in crowded places such as bazaars or in public transportations.

The crime rate in Iran, especially for tourists, is very low because Iranians love their guests especially if they come from a different country. Iranians are so interested to know about the tourist’s country and culture so come to Iran leaving aside all your preconceptions that are created by the western media.

The tourists in Iran must know photographing the military or governmental building such as the senate house is prohibited and if the police see you with your camera at these areas they might check your camera and if they see you have captured any image they will ask you to delete them right away.

Iran Health

Fortunately Iran has managed not to have any outbreaks for so long. Also, it has managed to control the entrance of the diseases that some countries in the region are dealing with. When traveling to any destination in the world it is the best to see your physician in advance to make sure you are in a good health and to discuss any health risks you might face at your destination, it will be a good opportunity to update your routine vaccination since it has been recommended by World Health Organization that all travelers regardless of the region they are traveling to should be covered for diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, and polio, as well as hepatitis B.

As you must have heard or read Iran’s traffic and driving, mostly in Tehran, can be an issue for our tourists. We can recommend you to use Iran public transportation such as BRT buses and the subway when it is available for the route you are taking or the registered taxis. Also for traveling on the road, between the cities, train and bus are the best and safest options since they do not cross the speed limit and are concerned with their passenger’s safety.

When you travel you will realize our world is not as dangerous as the media makes it out to be. All those who travel to Iran for the first time are extremely surprised by the huge difference they see between the reality and what they have heard before. In fact, so many travelers who have toured across Iran, describe this country as the safest country they have ever visited. In Iran, the first and most powerful enrichment of the travel becomes the kindness of its people and they are all friendly, trustworthy, and willing to help you.

I would love to write some of comments about safety and health information for Iran travelers:

Mandy Tay ‘Video Producer’

A last minute decision turned into 2 weeks worth of friendship, passion and magic. Iran has shown me how to be friends without using a word, to hope without borders and to be free in love.

Rick Steves’ Travel Journal’

Iran is the Most fascinating and surprising land I’ve ever visited.

Shara Johnson 

is Iran safe? You won’t meet people any more friendly than Iranians. They were even extra friendly if they found out we were American – they were so pleased that we weren’t afraid of them and were visiting their country.

Anthouny Bourdain ‘American Chef ‘

We’ve seldom been treated with such overwhelming generosity, hospitality and kindness by strangers

Shane Delia ‘Australian Chef’

I met some of the most beautiful people I have every met in my life. Endless generosity and humility. Such an amazing country, rich in history, culture, art, poetry and food. I could have lost myself in Iran.

Safety and Health Information for Iran Travelers-Shane-Delia

Andrew Burke ‘Lonely Planet Writer’

If travel is most rewarding when it surprises, then Iran might be the most rewarding destination on Earth.

Garham Hughes ‘World Traveler’

If you want any more proof that the Iranians are the most beautiful people on the planet, I humbly suggest you visit the place yourself. Iran has gone straight into my top ten countries in the world, above Australia and above the US.

Brandon Stanton ‘Humans of New York’

The country is beautiful, the history is rich, and the people are eager to demonstrate their almost-sacred commitment to hospitality.

Travel to Iran as the U.S, U.K, or Canadian citizen

Travel to Iran as the U.S, U.K, or Canadian Citizen

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Travel to Iran as the U.S, U.K, or Canadian Citizen

Travel to Iran as the U.S, U.K, or Canadian citizen is legal. The first advice for citizens of the three countries is to apply for their Iran visa 2-3 months before their trip.

Before applying for a visa , American, British, and Canadian travelers must obtain a travel authorization number from the Iranian Ministry of Foreign affair (MFA). In order to obtain the number form MFA the traveler must have an itinerary that will be given to him/her by an Iranian travel agency. The travel agency that is organizing your trip can help you with the authorization number process. Once you have the number you can apply for your visa and you can choose which consulate or embassy you wish to pick up your visa from.

There are three choices for travelers. First is to book a trip with a tour guide that gives you the opportunity to have a totally tailor-made tour itinerary. It is just like solo traveling.

Second option to pay less for the travel is to book a small group tour. It is cheaper than traveling with a tour guide and you will have fellow travelers on your trip.

And the third is to book a tour with a bigger group that will be even cheaper and more people will accompany you during your Iran travel.

All the travelers including those travel to Iran as the U.S, U.K, or Canadian citizen can enter all the seven Iran’s Free Trade, Industrial & Special Economic Zones (Kish and Qeshm Island, Chabahar, Aras, Anzali, Arvand, and Maku) without a visa.

Whether you are traveling with a private tour or a group tour you will be warmly welcomed by the Iranian officers at the gate. The only occasion in which your admission to Iran will be denied is if you have Israel visa or stamp in your passport.

Another rule that Iran travelers must be informed of is the Iran dress code. Headscarves and loose clothing are mandatory for Iranian and tourist ladies. Gentlemen are required to wear long pants.

Once the mentioned citizens are inside the country, everything is as normal as it is for other tourists. Despite what the western media is trying to show, Iran is a safe country for tourists. In fact, all Iran travelers enjoy the hospitality and warm welcomes from Iranians during their trip.

Iran Dress code

Iran Dress Code

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Iran Dress Code

Many prospective travelers that want to visit Iran, worry about the dress code here. Reading reports or watching carefully picked media footage makes most western people think women should be walking around like black wrapped-up mummies in Tehran. A funny image of Iran dress code!

Yes, due to Iran being the Islamic Republic, there is an appropriate dress code to be followed. It should be complied with in public spaces and businesses open to the public. And yes, it is enforced by the law, and like any good traveler special care should be taken to respect the law when you visit a new country. But to say that you should worry about it sounds a little bit… panicky?

Let me explain to you the dress code, and why it’s not that much of a hassle.

Iran Dress code for Men:

  • Long pants to the ankle.
  • No sleeveless t-shirts.

Iran Dress code for Women:

  • Long pants to the ankle.
  • A scarf for at least partially covering your head and your neck.
  • A manteaux or long shirt or tunic that covers your bum and chest or, in more elegant words, “hides the shape of the body”.
  • Shirt or manteaux must have sleeves that cover your arms up to the elbow.

That’s it. Have fun in Iran!

In different cities or towns of Iran, Iranian ladies’ outfit is different, but you do not need to worry about this diversity, you can wear a standard outfit that you are more comfortable with during your visit to different cities.

“But, can I wear makeup?”, ”Should the scarf be black?”, “Can the pants be leggings?”, “Can men wear a tie?”, “Is it possible to wear sandals?”….  Relax!

The only rules are the ones written above five rules in total. If you have questions, look above. If your question isn’t being addressed there, then you should not worry about it.

For the sake of a more general answer, if you really have to insist, the primary precept of Islam that this dress code is supposed to invoke is “modesty”. Whether man or woman, look technically modest about your body, and you’ll have no problems. You might want to look more modest if you go to famously religious cities to avoid some curious glances. And should any authorities approach you and tell you you’ve missed some small details, smile, nod, and gracefully do what you’re told.

So you might understand from the above that there is also a lot of space for you to fashion yourself up in many different ways.

When you come to Tehran, you’ll see that women that live in the historic center of the city dress in the more conservative chador. In the north and south of Tehran people wear completely different clothes, that should not make you fearful.

But if you still insist on more information about Iran dress code for ladies, here are more explanatory tips:

The scarf can have any color or pattern that you might wish. During the summer try to use super light material and light-colored scarfs. And during colder seasons you will appreciate a warmer material that would keep your head and neck warm. You are not required to cover all your hair, if bangs or other parts are showing don’t worry.

The body must be covered with loose clothing at least to the knee or mid-thigh length. You can wear baggy shirts on warm days and coats during the winter. You can also buy manteaux from the stores and malls in Iran at an affordable price.

Jeans are absolutely fine and are very usual among Iranian ladies.

For footwear, there are no limitations. Sandals or open-toed shoes are no problem.

For visiting, shrines or mosques wearing a “Chador” is obligatory and you can rent them at that place or buy them at a cheap price in a store.

you can also wear your usual make-up in Iran.

In general, as a tourist lady, you can stay as stylish as you wish in all cities or towns of Iran as long as most of the hair is covered and the clothing is not too short or tight.