Iran SKETCH SCORE: 36/100Iran moved +12 this weekIran’s safety score rose to 36 out of 100 today, but the US, UK, and Canada still maintain level 4 do-not-travel advisories alongside a global measles notice.Iran SKETCH SCORE: 36/100Iran moved +12 this weekIran’s safety score rose to 36 out of 100 today, but the US, UK, and Canada still maintain level 4 do-not-travel advisories alongside a global measles notice.
Iran

Nope.

Iran’s safety score rose to 36 out of 100 today, but the US, UK, and Canada still maintain level 4 do-not-travel advisories alongside a global measles notice.

Verified Jul 12, 2026Confidence high▲ +12 this week
36Sketch Score
90-day trend

Governments, one trip

What they're telling their own citizens about Iran

The real score

The breakdown

0advisoryConsensus
19Political Stability
25Police Trust
76Health
95Crime
2LGBTQ+

See it from your perspective

36

Nope.

The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.

Don't do this

Laws that jail tourists

Photography of sensitive facilities

Photography near military, government, and telecommunication installations is strictly prohibited. Transgressions can lead to detention and espionage charges, which carry the death penalty.

Espionage accusations

Foreigners, particularly Iranian-Americans, risk detention and accusations of espionage. Avoid politically-oriented conversations to minimize these risks.

Dress code requirements

Female travellers must obey local laws regarding dress. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in problems for the visitor.

Staying healthy

What to watch out for, health-wise

Active notices

  • • Global Measles

Vaccines

Recommended:

From people who've been there

Local know-how

Staying safe

  • Iran is still a relatively low-crime country, although thefts and muggings occur. Keep your wits about you, and take the usual precautions against pickpockets in crowded bazaars and buses.
  • Although its strict Islamic moral code is well known, Iranian laws are not as strict as those of Saudi Arabia.
  • Perceptions of outsiders: The chances of a Westerner facing anti-Western sentiment as a traveller are slim.
  • Some Iranian-Americans have been detained and accused of espionage, as were three American hikers in 2009 who allegedly strayed across into Iran from Iraqi Kurdistan.
  • Photography: There are a lot of military and other sensitive facilities in Iran.
  • Women: Female travellers should not encounter any major problems when visiting Iran, as long as they obey the local laws – including those on dressing.

Staying healthy

  • Iran has state-of-the-art medical facilities in all its major cities.
  • Apart from being up to date with your usual travel vaccinations (tetanus, polio, etc.) no special preparation is needed for travel to Iran.
  • Tap water is safe to drink in most of the country (and especially the cities), although you may find the chalkiness and taste off-putting in some areas (mainly Qom, Yazd, Hormozgan and Boushehr provinces).

Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.

Pack this, know this

The little things that trip people up

🔌

Plug & voltage

C / F · 220V

🚗

Driving side

right

🚨

Emergency

police: 110 / ambulance: 115 / fire: 125

Zoom in

One Iran city on SKETCH.WORLD

Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.

Show the receipts (11 sources)
Printable pre-trip checklist for Iran →