Iran, Russia to ease visa rules from February 6

on January 26, 2022

Rossiya-i-Iran-planiruyut-vvedenie-bezvizovogo-rezhima

An agreement between Russia and Iran to simplify visa procedures will come into effect on February 6, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Monday.

An intergovernmental agreement was signed in Tehran on November 23, 2021 in the presence of the Russian and Iranian presidents, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani, following Russian-Iranian talks.

“The document is aimed at simplifying on reciprocal basis conditions for the trips of the two countries’ nationals,” the ministry said, noting that it would relax visa rules for Russian and Iranian business people, people participating in scientific, cultural and creative activity, for students and teachers, tourists and other categories.

The agreement will help strengthen Russian-Iranian ties on all directions of partnership, the ministry said in its report.

Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei suggested two weeks ago that Tehran may unilaterally cancel tourist visas for Russian citizens.

Morteza Rahmani Movahed, the tourism deputy of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) told RIA Novosti the two countries could introduce a visa-free regime “within a week” if Russia agreed on a mutual political decision.