Tehran, Iran
As recently as three weeks ago, only a small number of Americans were planning to make a trip to controversial Iran. Today, the phones of tour operators going there are ringing off the hook with potential passengers, following the agreement that releases economic sanctions against Iran in return for a halt in their nuclear development. Relations between Iran and the U.S. seem to have improved.
And yet even would-be travelers considering such a trip will readily admit that there are pros and cons to doing so.
The "pros" first. There's no doubt that Iran has a remarkable number of awesome sites of the ancient world. Here are found the extraordinary and imposing city ruins of long-ago Shiraz, of Isfahan, and especially of Persepolis. That last complex of ancient palaces, assembly halls and shrines dating from the fifth century B.C., is often compared in importance to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, or to the Pyramids of Egypt. Here it was that Darius I first ruled over the great Persian empire of ancient times, that Cyrus the Great headed the same empire, that Xerxes built great palaces and shrines to extol the majesty of Persia.
It should be remembered that the Greeks and Persians ruled over much of the ancient world, and many of the outstanding Greek works of literature and drama deal with the war against Persia.
More positive reasons for visiting Iran: It could be claimed that a flood of U.S. tourism descending on Iran might have an impact in moderating the radical political viewpoints of Iran's rulers, that many of the Iranian people have a warm regard for Americans, contrary to the official policies of the religious zealots who rule that country.
As for the negatives: One has only to go to the "advisories" of the U.S. State Department dealing with travel to Iran, which are noteworthy in their length and urgency. Our State Department points out, first, that we have no embassy in Iran, and thus no one to come to your aid if you get into trouble there. Although the Swiss Embassy theoretically protects our interests, the Swiss have only limited means of assisting us. And a number of journalists and others of the west are currently in Iranian prisons on trumped-up charges.
Despite that undoubted situation, a "cottage industry" of American journalists and other writers have written whole books and numerous articles about the ease of traveling through Iran and interacting with the Iranian people, who are said to be warmly pro-American and expressing those viewpoints in the privacy of their own homes.
And yet Iran is undeniably a religious dictatorship, which continues to prosecute, imprison, detain, or subject to house arrest prominent Iranians who voice too obvious of a reformist message. None other than former Iranian President Khatami, a moderate, is not allowed to travel or appear at public events, and the Iranian media are not allowed to quote him (according to New Yorker journalist Robin Wright). Former Prime Minister Moussavi and former Speaker of Parliament Karroubi, are both under arrest (for the past four years), mainly because they dared to run for president against the militant Ahmadinejad. Two of the children of former president Rafsanjani are both in prison for "spreading propaganda against the regime" (again according to Robin Wright). Iran is far from being a democracy, and woe befall any American tourist who openly voices critical remarks about the regime. At Friday prayers each week, thousands of Iranians still chant "Death to America. Death to America".
In the sternest tones, the State Department warns against touristic involvement in political discussions or in their presence at political gatherings.
Almost as a side remark, the State Department does admit that there is no Sunni-Shiia conflict in Iran, because 90% of the population is Shiite (and thus there is little chance of encountering suicide bombers). But there are numerous small and disfavored minorities in Iran occupying distinct areas, such as the Iranian kurds, and tourists who wander by mistake into those areas are in danger of being arrested by the Iranian authorities. There are also sensitive military and nuclear sites scattered through the country, which a tourist enters at the risk of being called a spy--and arrested.
And, as most travelers are aware, a woman traveling in Iran must wear a head scarf, even if she is not a Muslim, and she will be arrested by the religious police if she goes out into the city without covering her head. It is also illegal to drink alcoholic beverages there.
Finally, Americans of Iranian descent, of which there are many, are regarded with especial suspicion and are subject to being detained and kept from leaving the country. Iranian-Americans might well stay away.
If you do go, it is virtually necessary to travel in a group, led by an escort, in view of the rarity with which Iran issues visas to single travelers visiting alone. At least a dozen American tour operators are presently operating group tours there, of which GeoEx (standing for Geographic Expeditions) is perhaps the most prominent--and expensive. Other tour companies to Iran include Intrepid Travel and Mir. It is probable that Americans traveling on the carefully conducted group tours of these companies are reasonably safe in Iran--provided they remain inconspicuous and silent about their own political viewpoints.
Photo credit: Kamshots/Flickr
