Iran: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Iran feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 127 written places.
Hospitality is an art form; expect invitations from strangers and the elaborate courtesy dance of taarof.
✓ Considered polite
- Insist two or three times when a shopkeeper or driver waves away payment - the first refusal is often taarof courtesy
- Dress modestly - women cover their hair with a loose scarf and wear a long top over trousers, men skip shorts
- Remove shoes before entering homes and the carpeted areas of mosques
- Accept the endless offers of tea - it is the engine of Iranian social life
✗ Better avoided
- Give a thumbs-up - it is traditionally a rude gesture, though younger Iranians forgive it
- Refuse a dinner invitation flat-out - deflect gently if you cannot come
- Show physical affection with the opposite sex in public
- Eat, drink or smoke on the street during Ramadan daylight hours
Worth knowing
- Foreign bank cards do not work - bring euros or dollars in cash, or arrange a local tourist debit card
- The weekend is Thursday and Friday; bazaars and offices close on Friday
- Prices are quoted in tomans but notes are in rials - one toman is ten rials
- Alcohol is not sold; tea houses fill the social role of bars
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.