Rick, thanks for your helpful videos about Iran travel for Americans. We spent 20 days recently in Iran, going to Tehran, Tabriz, Shiraz, Kerman, Bam, Yadz, Esfahan and Mashdad. It was an amazingly eye-opening experience considering all the negative press about Iran in the USA. The Iranian people were genuinely friendly and welcoming to Americans. They seemed to like Americans (except for Trump and his associates) and want to be friends. That was the overwhelming message they wanted us to convey to our fellow citizens.
As for history and culture, there is much to learn there and admire. So, despite the visa red-tape, please try to visit Iran.
Posted by
Tigard, OR, USA
1068 posts
I've been to Iran and enjoyed it. None-the-less, kind of an interesting first post.
Posted by
166 posts
I agree that the average Iranian is friendly and that there is much to see in Iran, the issue is that the Iranian Goverment has a history of arresting and detaining American citizens for years on false charges for political purposes. As much as I would like to see some of these places I do not it feel it wise to visit Iran, North Korea, Syria or Afghanistan at this time. It's sad that the world is always in some form of conflict, I enjoyed the talk Rick Steves gave on his journey to Iran and it made the average Iranian more like myself in many ways, who knows in 10 years we may all being taking some new RS tour to some country who we never thought possible!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Did you travel with a passport other than USA? Or what was your experience with the visa red-tape? It's been my understanding that Iran is still not granting visitor visas for Americans (since January, 2017).
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Reply to Laura. We traveled there with American passports. We got our visas in September and saw a few other Americans (in tour groups) when we were there in our group. So, Iran was giving tourist visas to Americans this fall. You need to go through an Iranian travel agency who helps get you a visa from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, so contact an agency about the possibility of getting a visa.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Thanks for the update. (I had been scheduled to go with a group in February, but the visa didn't work out at that time.)