Iran allows Saudi citizens entry without Visa

Shafaq News / The Islamic Republic of Iran has decided to exempt citizens of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from entry visas among 33 countries covered by this decision.

Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Ezzatollah Zarghami, clarified that their country had unilaterally agreed to waive entry visas for citizens of 33 countries, including Saudi Arabia, India, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, among others.

He emphasized the government's determination to practically open the country's doors to the world, noting that tourism is a right for all people worldwide. Iran, with its natural allure and hospitable population, is considered an attractive destination, in addition to its medical tourism sector.

The move is another step towards thawing relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in particular after years of tension between the two oil-producing Gulf rivals.

Riyadh and Tehran have aligned themselves with warring parties in Syria, Iraq and Yemen in the past decade. Attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, which Western officials blame on Iran and its Arab proxy forces, threatened in recent years to send the Middle East into further conflict. Iran denied involvement in those attacks.

Iran and Saudi agreed to restore full diplomatic relations, severed in 2016, under a Chinese-mediated agreement in March.

Nationals of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are included in the decision to waive visa requirements, in addition to Bahrain, with whom Tehran has not yet re-established full ties.

ISNA gave a full list of the countries, which included Lebanon, Tunisia, India, several Central Asian, African and "Muslim" nations. Only one Western-allied European nation was on the list, Croatia, a small member of the European Union and NATO.

"Russians will only profit from this visa exemption if they are visiting the country in groups," ISNA added.

Omani nationals had been able to travel to Iran visa-free prior to this announcement.

Iranian pilgrims will for the first time in eight years begin regular travel to Saudi Arabia from Dec. 19, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.