Iran has introduced visa-free travel for citizens of more than 30 countries around the world to promote tourism. Citizens of Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, can enter Iran without a visa. Citizens of India, Brazil, and Indonesia can also visit the country without a visa. Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ezzatollah Zarghami has said the Iranian Cabinet has decided to unilaterally cancel visa requirements for visitors from 33 more countries, according to the state-run news agency IRNA.

Iran offers visa-free travel

Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Zarghami said the decision is aimed at boosting tourism arrivals and attracting more visitors from countries around the world. According to the latest statistics, the number of foreign arrivals in the country reached 4.4 million during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (started on March 21), an increase of 48.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. The 33 countries approved for the new visa-waiver program are:

• India
• Russian Federation (in group visits)
• UAE
• Bahrain
• Saudi Arabia
• Qatar
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Uzbekistan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tajikistan
• Tunisia
• Mauritania
• Tanzania
• Zimbabwe
• Mauritius
• Seychelles
• Indonesia
• Brunei
• Japan
• Singapore
• Cambodia
• Malaysia
• Vietnam
• Brazil
• Peru
• Cuba
• Mexico
• Venezuela
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Serbia
• Croatia
• Belarus

That comes as the country had already announced visa waiver programs for visitors who are citizens of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia and Syria.