smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
Iran
| Iran overall | This Advice is current for Saturday, 31 July 2010. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
| Border areas with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq | ||||
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information under Summary and Safety and Security: Civil Unrest/Political Tension (violent clashes and terrorist incidents in border areas near Iraq) and Crime (burglaries at the homes of expatriates). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Iran because of the threat of terrorist attack against Western interests. We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets in Iran, including places frequented by foreigners.
Acts of political violence occur throughout Iran, particularly in the capital, Tehran. These include bomb attacks against foreign targets, Iranian government establishments and religious sites. In May and October 2009, there were suicide bombing attacks in Sistan va Baluchistan province resulting in many deaths and injuries.
Violent incidents over past years against the British Embassy compound and other Western embassies underline the potential for Western interests in Iran to be targeted.
In planning your activities, consider the types of places known to be terrorist targets and the level of security provided. Possible targets include embassies, hotels, places of worship, government interests and identifiably Western businesses and interests. You should pay close attention to your personal security at all times and closely monitor the media and other local sources for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Since the Iranian presidential election was held in June 2009, there has been heightened political tension and an unpredictable security situation. Large demonstrations and violent clashes, resulting in some deaths, have taken place in Tehran and other cities in Iran. Further incidents are possible. There has also been an increase in anti-Western sentiment. Embassies have been the focus of some demonstrations. Severe restrictions have been placed on foreign journalists. You should monitor developments closely, maintain a low profile and avoid any demonstrations or political gatherings.
International and regional tensions have increased following several recent issues including military exercises, missile testing, and further UN Security Council action against Iran (should this take place). Events and political developments in the region, increased domestic unrest and political tension may also trigger demonstrations, which could turn violent.
Border areas near Afghanistan and Pakistan: There have been terrorist attacks and violent crime in border areas near Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent years. We strongly advise you not to travel to areas near the Afghanistan and Pakistan borders, including the province of Sistan va Baluchistan, areas in Kerman province east of the city of Kerman (including the city of Bam), and areas near the border with Afghanistan in Razavi Khorasan (Khorasan-e-Razavi) and South Khorasan (Khorasan-e-Jonubi) provinces. As well as terrorist incidents, violent clashes between security forces and drug traffickers can occur in these areas. Travel at night is particularly hazardous.
Border areas near Iraq: We strongly advise you not to travel to areas near the border with Iraq, in particular Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan and Ilam provinces and Khorramshahr in Khuzestan province, because of the extremely dangerous security situation. As well as terrorist incidents, violent clashes and confrontations have occurred in these areas in recent years, most recently in June 2010.
Iran has a low crime rate, although petty crime does occur. There have been bag snatchings on the street and violent burglaries at the homes of expatriates.
Tourists have been robbed by bogus plain clothes policemen during supposed identification checks and drug and counterfeit currency searches.
Bags have been snatched from pedestrians by thieves in passing vehicles. Victims may be knocked down or dragged behind vehicles.
The Government of Iraq has closed six border crossings with Iran at Kella, Saranban-Golle, Taiwella, Parweez Khan, Muntheria and al Sheeb.
Iran has one of the highest rates of road accidents in the world. For further advice on road safety, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety.
Women should take care when travelling alone, particularly at night.
Travellers entering the Gulf area by sea should be aware that many areas are sensitive in relation to security and territory. There are reports of vessel inspections, detentions and arrest.
Piracy occurs in the Gulf. See our travel advice on travelling by sea for further information. The International Maritime Bureau issues weekly piracy reports on its website.
There are serious safety concerns about ageing aeroplanes, including Russian-built and other aircraft, on many of Iran's domestic air services. Travel on these aircraft should be avoided where possible. In July 2009, 184 people were killed in two separate crashes in Iran involving commercial airliners. In January 2010 a Taban Airline flight crash landed on arrival at Mashad airport, injuring 48 passengers.
For further information, please refer to our Aviation Safety and Security travel bulletin.
Iran is in an active seismic zone and experiences frequent earthquakes, including several major earthquakes in recent years.
Iran often experiences extremely high temperatures. During the hottest months of the year, the temperature can exceed 50˚C.
Sandstorms and dust storms occur regularly.
Information on natural disasters can be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas.
You should ensure that you have sufficient cash, in the form of US dollars (notes should be post-1996) or Euros to cover all expenses for the duration of your stay in Iran. Cirrus or Maestro ATMs cannot be accessed in Iran. Credit cards are not accepted and it is sometimes impossible to cash travellers' cheques. It is also not possible to transfer funds into Iran using the commercial banking system or money transfer companies.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling Parents brochure.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in Iran, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Penalties for importing and possessing drugs are severe and include the death penalty.
Homosexual acts are illegal in Iran for both men and women and penalties include the death penalty and corporal punishment. This also applies to foreigners.
Australians who might engage in activities that involve local legal matters, particularly with regard to family law (divorce, child custody and child support), are strongly advised to seek professional advice and ensure they are aware of their rights and responsibilities. See also Entry and Exit Requirements below.
The dress code (see Local Customs below) is enforced at all times, including during sports activities.
Close contact between unmarried men and women (especially non-Muslims and Muslims) is prohibited and de facto relationships are illegal. The penalties for breaching these laws are severe.
Photography near military or government buildings and installations, critical civil infrastructure and public demonstrations is strictly prohibited and will result in arrest.
The importation of all alcohol, pornography, pork products, short wave radios and printed and recorded Western material (including that of a religious nature) is strictly prohibited.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
There are strong Islamic codes of dress and behaviour in Iran. Women are required to wear loose-fitting clothing which covers the arms and legs, a coat and a headscarf. Men should not wear shorts or sleeveless T-shirts.
During Ramadan, visitors should not eat, drink or smoke in public between sunrise and sunset. You should take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice. See our Ramadan 2010 Travel Bulletin for further information.
Iran does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of the Australian Government to provide consular assistance to Australian/Iranian dual nationals who are arrested or detained.
Australian/Iranian dual national males who have not completed military service may be prohibited from leaving Iran.
Dual national females may require the permission of their husband or a senior male relative to leave Iran.
Iranian immigration officials may confiscate the foreign passports of dual nationals.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information for dual nationals.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Iran for the most up-to-date information.
If you have any evidence of travel to Israel, including an Israeli exit or entry stamp in your passport, you will be refused entry to Iran.
Failure to declare foreign currency taken into Iran may result in undeclared foreign exchange being confiscated on departure.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 has spread throughout the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides useful information for individuals and travellers on its website. For further information and advice to Australians, including on possible quarantine measures overseas, see our travel bulletin on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our Travelling Well brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
The standard of medical facilities in Iran is limited. Facilities in remote areas are extremely limited. In the event of a serious accident/illness, a medical evacuation to London or Dubai may be necessary, costing around $A100,000.
Malaria is prevalent outside the major towns, particularly in the south and west. Other insect-borne diseases (such as leishmaniasis and tick-borne encephalitis) are common in Iran. Ticks are especially active from spring to autumn. We recommend you take prophylaxis against malaria where necessary and take precautions against being bitten by insects, including using an insect repellent.
Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, and tuberculosis) are prevalent with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world, including Iran. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
In Iran, you can obtain consular assistance from the:
Australian Embassy
No.2, 23rd Street
Khalid Islambuli Avenue
Tehran IRAN
Telephone: (98 21) 8386 3666
Facsimile: (98 21) 8872 0484
Website: www.iran.embassy.gov.au
The working week is from Sunday to Thursday, in accordance with local practice.
If you are travelling to Iran, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency, if you are unable to contact the Embassy you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
