Iran to remove visa requirement for Indian travelers

Iran is expected to remove visa requirements for Indian travelers. According to an official announcement from Tehran, India is on a visa-exemption list with 32 other countries, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Japan, and the UAE.

According to a report in the official Iranian News Agency (IRNA), the move is aimed at helping the flow of tourists into Iran. India has recently been placed on similar visa-exemption lists of countries such as Malaysia and Sri Lanka, seeking to boost tourism and trade.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India already has a visa-exemption agreement with Iran that caters to Indian diplomats, but this is the first time that Tehran has added ordinary Indian passport holders to the list of visa exemptions.

Iran’s Tourism Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami told IRNA that the decision of the Iranian government is aimed at bringing in more visitors as well as fighting “Iranophobia” that is visible in Western channels. India and Iran have a close relationship on multiple fronts, and India is the primary stakeholder in the Chabahar port project. Both sides have been in close contact over several recent moves, including Iran’s entry into the BRICS during the Johannesburg summit in South Africa last August. Iran will officially become a member of BRICS on January 1, 2024.

According to IRNA, Iran already has visa-exemption agreements with Türkiye, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon and Syria. The list with 33 countries is being viewed as a significant Iranian initiative to revamp its ties as it is poised to enter BRICS.