TEHRAN – Iran is ready to waive visa requirements reciprocally with Russia, based on an agreement the two countries previously secured for certain tourist groups.

“Iran is ready to waive visa requirements mutually with Russia, and there is no obstacle in this field from Tehran’s point of view,” Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow said on Wednesday.

Kazem Jalali made the remarks at a Moscow meeting attended by representatives of 50 Russian companies and 30 Iranian fellows, IRNA reported.

Jalali referred to the tourism activists as ambassadors of the two nations, while he talked about the importance of public diplomacy in the contemporary world.

He expressed hope that Tehran-Moscow relations will continue to move forward by strengthening people-to-people connections in cultural and economic arenas.

The ambassador noted that Tehran and Moscow had agreed to abolish group tourist visas starting January 1, 2023, but the process has been stalled, as both countries had to submit a list of relevant travel companies.

The agreement was initially signed by former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in 2017.

Last year, an Iranian travel expert said many Russian tourists were eager to travel to Iran. “Many [potential] Russian travelers are motivated to visit novel and lesser-known destinations such as Iran that could be a safe and attractive destination,” said Mostafa Sarvari, who presided over the tourism marketing and advertising office of the Iranian Tour Operators Association.

In addition, Ebrahim Pourfaraj, who presides over the Iranian Tour Operators Association, believes the majority of potential Russian travelers are unaware of the vast tourist attractions that exist in every corner of Iran. “The fact is that Iran’s political and economic relations with Russia are considered good, but this has nothing to do with attracting tourists because it is directly connected with the Russian people. It is the Russian people who must choose Iran as their destination.”

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

AFM