Iran Travel Risk Overview
Official US advisory · Level 4
Do Not Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical baseline composite.
Is Iran safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Iran scores 75/100 on our travel risk index (Extreme). The US State Department rates Iran Level 4 (Do Not Travel, updated 5 Dec 2025); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to the whole country (updated 13 Aug 2026); Canada says: avoid all travel. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Iran has a Travel Risk Calculator score of 75 out of 100 (extreme risk tier); city-level files are available for 60 cities. The score combines five layers (security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards, current alerts) built from government advisories and open data. This page also covers nine safety categories (crime, disease & health, government advisory, political & civil unrest, natural disaster & weather, transport & route, environmental, digital security, money safety), the current US State Department advisory, GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices for Iran, recent news headlines, plus links to every city we have an editorial file for.
Run a personalized Iran assessmentAI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Iran is designated at an extreme risk level with a US State Department Level 4 advisory, alongside a CDC Level 1 global dengue health notice. Recent developments involve ongoing conflict, stalled talks, and efforts to return stranded Americans amid regional attack threats.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 05:44 UTC
How safe is Iran to visit in 2026?
Iran is currently under a US State Department Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 75/100 extreme baseline composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The full live US State Department advisory text for Iran, current GDACS disaster alerts, CDC health notices, and recent news headlines are shown in the Live conditions section below. For city-specific files (Tehran, Qom, Herīs), see the City Risk Files section below — they include neighborhood-level scam patterns, transport notes, and medical-access details where available.
Country score
Driven by: The US State Department and Government of Canada and UK FCDO advise against all travel here, so the score is held at 75 or higher.
Iran's score of 75 is higher than the scores of 91% of the 241 countries we cover.
Data file
| Source | calibrated 2026-05-09 v1.0 (knowledge-based; State Dept advisory tiers, GPI, OSAC patterns) |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 2026-05-09 11:01:52 |
| City files | 60 |
Assessment memory
Anonymous assessments help Travel Risk Calculator identify which country and city files deserve deeper review.
| Saved assessments | 0 |
|---|---|
| Average composite | No saved signal yet |
Score layers
Safety categories
Official Government Travel Advisories
Cross-referenced official travel advice from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, normalized to a unified 1–4 risk scale.
Department of State
Do not travelto Iran due to the risk of terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention. Do not travel to Iran for any …
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
FCDO travel advice for Iran. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.
Global Affairs Canada
Natural disasters and climate section – added information on El Niño
UK content contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Canadian advice provided by Global Affairs Canada under open government terms. US advice provided by the US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Entry Requirements & Local Laws
Official travel advice summary from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
🛂 Entry Requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK who choose to travel against FCDO advice. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Iran’s current rules for the most common types of travel. The authorities in Iran set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Iranian Embassy in the UK. You are at risk of arrest, detention and a death sentence if you travel to Iran. British nationals are at increased risk of questioning and detention by the Iranian authorities. See Safety and security. Passport validity requirements If you choose to enter Iran against FCDO advice, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It’s not possible to apply for a Br
Summary of UK FCDO advice, updated Aug 13, 2026 · Full requirements →
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Travel Advisory Level History
Historical official advisory level changes over time.
Protests, Strikes & Closures This Week
Verified recent event reports monitored for Iran within the last 7 days.
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The Media Line · Oct 15
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CNN · Oct 15
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Reuters · Oct 14
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PBS · Oct 14
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Axios · Oct 13
What Changed This Month in Iran
Chronological record of verified security, advisory, health, and hazard updates over the past 30 days.
- Oct 2, 2026 CDC Notice Level 1 - Global Dengue (Watch).
- Sep 23, 2026 CDC Notice Level 2 - Global Polio (Alert).
City Risk Files in Iran
Showing 60 destination files with city-specific safety data in Iran, ranked by demand and population.
Tehran
Tier ATehrān
Qom
Tier AQom
Herīs
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Tabrīz
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Mashhad
Tier BKhorāsān-e Raẕavī
Eşfahān
Tier BEşfahān
Karaj
Tier BAlborz
Masjed Soleymān
Tier BKhūzestān
Gaz
Tier BEşfahān
Bāneh
Tier BKordestān
Kūt-e ‘Abdollāh
Tier BKhūzestān
Bāghīn
Tier BKermān
Ahvāz
Tier BKhūzestān
Shahrīār
Tier BTehrān
Dezfūl
Tier BKhūzestān
Neyshābūr
Tier BKhorāsān-e Raẕavī
Marand
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Kāzerūn
Tier BFārs
Khāsh
Tier BSīstān va Balūchestān
Bāzeh Kalāgh
Tier BKhorāsān-e Raẕavī
Maḩmūdābād Nemūneh
Tier BQazvīn
Rostamābād
Tier BGīlān
Landeh
Tier BKohgīlūyeh va Bowyer Aḩmad
Zāhedān
Tier BSīstān va Balūchestān
Fasā
Tier BFārs
Bonāb
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Naqadeh
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Gharbī
Kangān
Tier BBūshehr
Chenārān
Tier BKhorāsān-e Raẕavī
Hādīshahr
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Malekān
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Semīrom
Tier BEşfahān
Garmdarreh
Tier BAlborz
Khonj
Tier BFārs
Bandar-e Kong
Tier BHormozgān
Nakhl-e Taqī
Tier BBūshehr
Arsanjān
Tier BFārs
Ja‘farīyeh
Tier BQom
Shīrāz
Tier BFārs
Kermānshāh
Tier BKermānshāh
Orūmīyeh
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Gharbī
Khomeynī Shahr
Tier BEşfahān
Torbat-e Jām
Tier BKhorāsān-e Raẕavī
Do Gonbadān
Tier BKohgīlūyeh va Bowyer Aḩmad
Khowrāsgān
Tier BEşfahān
Dehdasht
Tier BKohgīlūyeh va Bowyer Aḩmad
Delījān
Tier BMarkazī
Kavār
Tier BFārs
Germī
Tier BArdabīl
Īlkhchī
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Anār
Tier BKermān
Sangān
Tier BKhorāsān-e Raẕavī
Arvand Kenār
Tier BKhūzestān
Bastak
Tier BHormozgān
Ḩorr-e Rīāḩī
Tier BKhūzestān
Yazd
Tier BYazd
Ardabīl
Tier BArdabīl
Qazvīn
Tier BQazvīn
Marāgheh
Tier BĀz̄arbāyjān-e Sharqī
Pākdasht
Tier BTehrān
All towns in Iran (153 additional local facts pages)
These localities carry verified regional geography, nearest hospitals, airports, and natural hazard records with the country baseline risk score.
Live conditions in Iran
Country-scoped real-time data — official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For city-specific weather and air quality, open any city page below.
Official travel advisory
Level 4 · Do Not Travel
Iran - Level 4: Do Not Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Track Iran’s advisory
Get one email if the US State Department travel-advisory level for Iran changes. No account, unsubscribe anytime.
Traveller notes from government advice
Advice for women travellers
Adultery and sex outside marriage are illegal under Iranian law and carry the death penalty.
Relationships between non-Muslim men and Muslim women are illegal, although few westerners have been prosecuted. If a Muslim woman is found in a relationship with a non-Muslim man, she may be sentenced to be whipped.
Unmarried partners and friends of the opposite sex travelling together should be extremely cautious. Sex outside marriage and same-sex relations are against the law in Iran, with the death penalty as the defined punishment.
Iranian hotel managers could insist on seeing a marriage certificate before allowing couples to share a hotel room.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 13 Aug 2026. Full advice
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex relationships are illegal under Iranian law and can carry the death penalty.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 13 Aug 2026. Full advice
Local laws and customs
Ramadan
Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. During this time, do not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in your car.
You should also:
check opening hours of shops and restaurants
be aware that if hotels and restaurants are providing food or drink in fasting hours, they may separate you from Islamic guests, for example with screens
be aware that fasting can cause tiredness, particularly during the later afternoon and early evening
be patient and show tolerance
Get more advice when you arrive from your tour guide, hotel or business contacts.
Dress codes
Islamic codes of behaviour and dress are strictly enforced. In public places women must cover their heads with a headscarf, wear trousers or a floor-length skirt, and a long-sleeved tunic or coat that reaches to mid-thigh or knee. Men should wear long trousers…
Read the full UK government advice
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 13 Aug 2026. Full advice
Entry requirements
This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK who choose to travel against FCDO advice. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Iran’s current rules for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Iran set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Iranian Embassy in the UK.
You are at risk of arrest, detention and a death sentence if you travel to Iran.
British nationals are at increased risk of questioning and detention by the Iranian authorities. See Safety and security.
Passport validity requirements
If you choose to enter Iran against FCDO advice, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’…
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 13 Aug 2026. Official entry requirements
Disaster alerts
No active GDACS disaster alerts matched Iran as of the last successful refresh.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
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Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
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Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
Recent headlines
No recent national headlines were returned for Iran. This is not evidence that conditions are quiet; check local and official sources.
Automated safety monitor
Recent safety-relevant news for Iran
Headlines are an early-warning monitor, not risk assessments. Verify material developments with official authorities and the linked publisher.
- Politics Iran executes protesters in public as regime expands postwar repression, human rights groups say - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos abcnews.com · Oct 14, 2026 23:56 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics How Iran shielded forces over 2022 protest killings - Iran International www.iranintl.com · Oct 14, 2026 22:59 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Iran Lodges IMO Protest Over US Use of Channel 16 for Military Intimidation - The Maritime Executive maritime-executive.com · Oct 13, 2026 19:30 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Iran: Five protest-related arbitrary executions in one week must spur global action - Amnesty International www.amnesty.org · Oct 13, 2026 10:49 UTC · via Googlenews
- General Iran’s feminist social revolution rages on - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill www.unc.edu · Oct 11, 2026 07:00 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Where Are the Iran War Protests? - The Intercept theintercept.com · Oct 9, 2026 18:31 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Shelter Island crowd welcomes home USS Abraham Lincoln, some protest ship conditions and Iran War - KPBS www.kpbs.org · Oct 9, 2026 17:19 UTC · via Googlenews
- Politics Shelter Island crowd welcomes home USS Abraham Lincoln, some protest ship conditions and Iran War - KPBS www.kpbs.org · Oct 9, 2026 00:58 UTC · via Googlenews
This country currently has a Level 4 US advisory. Compare the high-risk-country watchlist →
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Iran
The most weather-stable two-month window for Iran is September–October, when typical daily temperatures run from about 12°C to 30°C and monthly rain averages 8 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include extreme heat in July. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Jul 30, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Emergency Numbers
| Police | 110 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 115 |
| Fire | 125 |
| General emergency | 112 |
Latest AI-assisted briefing for Iran
Official decision override: Do Not Travel. Critical advisory warnings are active for Tehran, Iran, supported by elevated political volatility and digital security concerns.
Top risk drivers
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Political and Civil Instability
· political
Political score 80 indicates severe risk regarding civil unrest, demonstrations, and heightened security crackdowns.
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Digital Surveillance and Restrictions
· digital
Digital security score 70 signals elevated risk of communications monitoring, internet censorship, and restricted access to encrypted applications.
-
Government advisory
· Advisory
Official advisories indicate caution.
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Political / unrest risk
· Political
Unrest, protest activity, or instability raise contextual risk.
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Digital security
· Digital
Higher exposure to public-Wi-Fi and device theft risks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Iran safe to visit right now?
Follow the current official advisory. The baseline composite is analytical context and does not weaken that decision. Composite baseline: 75/100 (Extreme risk). Always cross-check with your home country's foreign-ministry advisory within 7 days of departure; the live US State Department advisory is shown above. Last refreshed October 2026.
What is the current travel advisory for Iran?
The current US State Department advisory level for Iran is shown in the Live conditions section above and is re-fetched every 6 hours from the official RSS feed. UK FCDO, Canada GAC, and Australia DFAT also publish advisories — for high-stakes trips, cross-check at least one foreign-ministry advisory in addition to your home country's. See our travel advisory guide for how to read each tier system.
Is it safe to visit Iran in October 2026?
For October 2026, the baseline composite for Iran is 75/100 (Extreme risk). Live data — advisories every 6 hours, disaster alerts every 30 minutes, health notices every 12 hours, news every hour — is shown in the Live conditions section above. For a personalized risk briefing for your specific trip and traveler profile, use the Travel Risk Calculator linked above.
How are these country-level travel risk scores calculated?
Each category is scored 0-100 from government advisories (US State Dept), crime indices, Global Peace Index data, WHO/CDC health context, and curated regional editorial knowledge. The composite is a weighted sum across nine categories — see /methodology for the full weight breakdown. Live data (advisories, news, disaster alerts, health notices) is layered on top of the baseline at request time.
Where can I find city-specific safety information for Iran?
City-specific files for Iran are listed in the City Risk Files section above. Each city page covers the same nine categories at city scope, plus city-specific scam patterns, transport-hub safety notes, medical-access detail, and (where available) neighborhood-level guidance. Use the header search to find a specific city directly.
When was this page last reviewed?
The baseline scores for Iran were last reviewed on May 9, 2026. Live intelligence (advisory, disaster alerts, health notices, news) refreshes automatically on the cadences described above.
Is this a substitute for an official travel advisory?
No. Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated risk information for planning purposes only. Always check your home country's official travel advisory and any health notices from your national health authority before traveling.
When is the best time to visit Iran?
September–October is the most weather-stable two-month window in the stored 1991-2020 normals. The most weather-stable two-month window for Iran is September–October, when typical daily temperatures run from about 12°C to 30°C and monthly rain averages 8 mm.
What is the rainy, hurricane, or severe-weather season in Iran?
extreme heat: July.
Community Safety Sentiment
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.