Undeterred by 4 decades of US sanctions, Iran rolls out red carpet for Southeast Asian tourists

Iran has set its sights on Southeast Asia as the latest market from which to draw tourists, preparing to showcase its rich cultural heritage and picturesque cities to restore the once bustling tourism industry left almost crippled by more than four decades of unilateral economic sanctions imposed by the US.

Officials and trade representatives are bullish on attracting visitors from Malaysia, and apart from exploiting its diverse civilisations and beautiful landscapes, the Islamic republic wants to leverage its centuries-old historical ties with the Southeast Asian region.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Iran Tourism Roadshow Southeast Asia 2024 attended by more than 100 Iranian and Malaysian travel agencies, Iranian ambassador to Malaysia Valiollah Mohammadi Nasrabadi said sanctions and travel warnings by US authorities had had an effect in discouraging international tourists.

He nonetheless said the country was determined to attract more travellers.

Sanctions aside, he said, there had been attempts at propaganda to portray Iran in a negative light.

"But tourists who visit the country can see the reality. They will go home and tell their families about the reality of Iran," Nasrabadi told MalaysiaNow.

Despite the various hurdles, the oil-rich nation attracted six million foreign tourists last year, mostly from surrounding countries such as Iraq, Turkiye, Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

Iran, whose history dates back tens of thousands of years, is among the countries with the most number of Unesco World Heritage sites.

But it has been subjected to sanctions by Washington since the 1979 revolution that toppled the pro-Western Shah. These sanctions were further strengthened following accusations of terrorism as well as claims by its enemies that it was secretly developing nuclear weapons.

While sanctions have strengthened Iran's homegrown industries, they have also had an impact on its tourism, mainly due to blockades on the aviation and hospitality sector.

Any lifting of such blockades would likely see an inflow of tourists, as shown in the three-year window under the administration of president Barack Obama, when Iran witnessed an economic boom as well as a surge of foreign tourists following the lifting of sanctions in line with a nuclear deal signed with Washington.

At least three travel agencies for travellers to Iran are currently operating in Malaysia, and Nasrabadi expects the number to rise following an increase in business ties.

The tourism roadshow was launched by Iran's deputy minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts, Ali Asghar Shalbafian.

He said measures had been taken in the campaign to attract more tourists, including allowances for visa-free entry for more than 40 countries, and visa on arrival for others.

The Iranian immigration does not stamp the passports of foreign visitors, taking into account the difficulties faced by some in entering the US due to past visits to Iran.

Malaysian passport holders who wish to visit the country can stay up to 15 days without a visa.

Shalbafian said Iran had invited tourism agencies from around the world to participate in business-to-business conferences. His ministry is also planning to sign several memoranda of understanding in public sectors with governments across Southeast Asia.

He said there was a need to combat negative perceptions of Iran, adding that Iranian students serve as the nation's "cultural ambassadors" to Malaysia.