Iran, Iraq agree to scrap visa fees

TEHRAN – Tehran and Baghdad have agreed that their nationals will not have to pay visa fees for crossing borders.

Iran, Iraq likely to relax visa rules to boost investment, tourism

TEHRAN – Iran and Iraq are working out an agreement to ease some visa rules in an effort to boost investment and tourism, IRNA reported.

Iran to ease visa rules for Iraqi Kurdistan travelers

TEHRAN – Iran is to loosen travel restrictions for Iraqi Kurdistan travelers in the hope of boosting tourism by offering electronic visas instead of printed ones.

Serbia planning for easier travel to Iran: envoy

TEHRAN – Belgrade ambassador to Tehran, Dragan Todorovic, has said that he is planning to take measures to make traveling to Iran easier for Serbian nationals, ILNA reported on Friday.

Tehran tourism exhibit offers must-see places for Noruz

TEHRAN – Hundreds of potential travelers for Noruz holidays are choosing, bargaining or even negotiating prices with travel markets at the 12th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition, which will be running through February 16.

VP calls for better visa services for Iranian, British nationals

TEHRAN – Iranian Vice President Ali-Asghar Mounesan has called for better visa services for Iranian and British nationals, saying Iranians should not face problem to receive UK visa, IRNA reported on Sunday.

Iran attracts more travelers as medical tourism gets boost

TEHRAN – The number of foreign travelers to Iran has seen a considerable year-on-year growth as medical tourism gains momentum in the country, tourism chief has said.

Half a million visas issued for Arbaeen pilgrims

TEHRAN – Over 500,000 visas have so far been issued for Iranian pilgrims who are to make their ways to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala.

Iran ends visa-free travel for Serbians

TEHRAN - Iran has scrapped visa-free entry for Serbian nationals, days after the Balkan country reintroduced visas for Iranians, CHTN reported on Thursday.

Omanis can travel to Iran without a visa

TEHRAN – Omanis can travel to Iran without a visa, Oman’s Foreign Ministry has announced, lauding the friendly relations between the two countries.

Visa-free entry an alternative to oil economy: expert 

The head of Alborz province’s chamber of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture believes that starting a visa-free regime for inbound travelers to Iran is an alternative to the country’s oil-reliant economy.

Iranian consulate in Erbil launches electronic visa system

TEHRAN – The Iranian consulate in Erbil, the capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan, has announced that it has started issuing electronic visas in order to facilitate visa issuance.

Azerbaijan eases visa on arrival for Iranians

TEHRAN – Citizens of 15 countries including Iran can obtain Azerbaijan visas via self-service terminals upon arrival at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku, IRNA reported.

Iranian arrivals in Serbia on rise

TEHRAN – The number of Iranian arrivals in Serbia has increased over the past six months since the country allowed visa-free entry for visitors from Ira

Iran to scrap paper visas for all countries

TEHRAN – Iran will stop issuing paper visas in favor of electronic ones for all countries by May 2018, said Hassan Qashqavi, the deputy foreign minister for consular affairs.

Iran ready for visa-free with ‘any country’

TEHRAN – Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Hassan Qashqavi on Friday voiced Iran’s readiness for visa-free arrangements with any country “which respects our passport”.

3 million pilgrims predicted to enter Iraq via Iran 

The ambassador of Iran in Baghdad said on Saturday that the number of Iranian and non-Iranian pilgrims entering Iraq through Iran is expected to exceed three million by next week.

Upsurge in Iranian travelers visiting Georgia

TEHRAN – The number of Iranian tourists visiting Georgia in the first 10 months of 2017 has risen by 123 percent in comparison to the same period last year, IRNA reported on Thursday.

Kianoush Rostami: I never seek asylum in the U.S.

Iranian weightlifter Kianoush Rostami says he is not seeking asylum in the United States.

By Afshin Majlesi

Tourism holds vast potential for Iran-Korea co-op: envoy

TEHRAN – Seoul’s ambassador to Tehran says tourism holds vast potential for the growth of cooperation between Iran and South Korea though most of the potential is still untapped.

Visa dispute is another sign of Turkey’s drift

The longstanding Washington-Ankara alliance shows severe strain amid tit-for-tat row

By Afshin Majlesi

Explore Pakistan, the land unknown to many

My Travelogue of Pakistan

When I was told by my superiors to make a journey to Pakistan, I started wondering how traveling to our neighboring country could be. Soon after, I made up my mind to perceive the country objectively and feel it personally, not in the way some mainstream media portray it.

‘Tourism brings hope, prosperity and understanding’

TEHRAN – Tourism brings hope, prosperity and understanding to so many lives and livelihoods all over the world, says secretary general of the World Tourism Organization.

Yazd revels in tourism surge

TEHRAN – The central Iranian province of Yazd is on track to welcome more tourists by registering a major boost in the number of its ecolodges and inscribing its historical capital on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Each tourist means 30 barrels of oil in revenues for Iran

TEHRAN – Every single foreign tourist visiting Iran spends an average of $1,200, bringing in income as much as exporting 30 barrels of oil, the Iranian tourism chief said in a meaningful comparison as the country seeks to cut reliance on oil incomes.

Serbia expects more tourist arrivals from Iran

TEHRAN – The number of Iranians visiting Serbia is expected to rise as the southeastern European country has recently decided to waive visa requirement for Iranian nationals.

Tourist flow from U.S. to Iran not slowed down

TEHRAN – The tourist flow from the U.S. to Iran has not been slowed down as its year-on-year rate shows no decrease in the stream, says the chief executive of the Iranian Tour Operators Association.

Iranian tourist arrivals to Russia rise 9% in H1

TEHRAN – The number of Iranian travelers who visited Russia during the first half of 2017 has witnessed 9 percent year-on-year growth, according to Rostourism - Russia’s Federal Agency for Tourism.

Tehran, Astana seeking an upswing in tourism ties

TEHRAN - Iranian and Kazak officials have called for stronger tourism ties especially in marine and medical spheres.

Tehran rejects Saudi visa claim as wrong, unreal, gives details 

TEHRAN – Iran on Tuesday rejected as “wrong and unreal” claims by Saudi Arabia on its delegation having been denied visa to launch a probe into the storming of its diplomatic posts in Tehran and Mashhad, providing visa and flight details.