TEHRAN – Top Iranian and Russian diplomats are slated to discuss the possibility of abolishing visa requirements for tourist groups from the two sides in December, as they have already loosened restrictions for some certain travelers.

The first phase of the visa-waiver agreement, which went into effect in February 2016, yields exemptions for business people, scientists, and educators as well as several other categories of travelers, Mehdi Sanaei, the Iranian ambassador to Moscow, wrote in his Telegram account earlier this month.

As for the second phase of talks, waiving visas for tourist groups will go under consideration during a joint committee meeting which is to be held in Tehran in December, he said.

In the third phase, which is expected to commence in 2017, the two sides will push for a comprehensive visa-free travel contract that would benefit both the nations, Sanaei explained.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Sputnik International which was published on October 25, Sanaei said “Diplomats from the two foreign ministries would meet in Tehran in December to discuss consular ties, as well as visa-free travel for the citizens of the two nations.”

In August 2015, Iran extended visa on arrival for foreign tourists from 15 days to 30 days.

The director of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization, Masoud Soltanifar, has said the easing of visa rules was opening the door for the return of foreign tourists to Iran.

AFM/MG