Things you need to know before your arrival to Iran

Despite Iran’s relative safety, abundance of delicious food, fascinating culture, and friendly people, the country still lags behind as a tourist destination for foreign travelers.

Geography

Iran is a country of mountains, deserts, and fertile valleys – about 70% of it scarcely populated.

Driving

The national speed limit is between 50 or 80 km/h in residential areas and 120 km/h on national roads/freeways/motorways.

Buying property

Foreigners are allowed to buy property in Iran for residential purposes but are not allowed to buy agricultural land. Most expats in Iran gravitate towards the capital city, Tehran. To help you with your property search, your employer or your home country’s embassy may be able to recommend a real estate agent.

While it is possible for foreigners to buy property in Iran, it can be difficult, so most expats tend to rent. Freehold properties are available for foreigners to purchase in Iran but foreign residents who move from a property are also obligated to transfer the property title to a qualified non-national or an Iranian within six months of leaving to prevent adjudication by the Land Registration Office.

Persian Etiquette Tips

The people of Iran are warm, friendly, hospitable and very formal. When interacting with people in Iran it is a good idea to have some understanding of gestures, expressions and socially acceptable behavior. Here are some tips on social etiquette in Iran.

Persians are very hospitable people and accord love, respect and warmth to every guest visiting their household. You may be overwhelmed with the warmth, affection and the amount of food and drink that you will be showered with when invited to a Persian home.

How about… a smoking ban in public spaces?

While many other countries in the world have become increasingly health-conscious when it comes to cigarette smoking, smoking in public places is still rife in Iran. While measures have been put into place to prevent people from openly smoking on certain streets, smoking inside most restaurants is basically taken for granted, and even family-style restaurants for people with kids make do with flimsy glass partitions separating the “smoking” from the “non-smoking” sections.

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