SanDiego1K

I've been to Lebanon and Jordan and thoroughly enjoyed both. I perceive it as easier to fill 7 days in Jordan. However, Lebanon will be more temperature friendly during the summer. Be aware that Ramadan runs from May 26 til June 25 (US dates).

GUWonder

Kidnapping is part of which culture? I thought I knew a fair amount and then some about the cultures in the area, and so I'd love to hear the answer to this.

Over 70k Polish citizens were living in Iran for a period of time -- as refugees during the Second World War -- and I can't recall much about them being kidnapped by locals in Iran.

747FC

Since I cannot find evidence of any other country condoning kidnapping (Edit: Except North Korea), and since it is "relatively" commonplace in Iran, I can only conclude that there is something about the (perhaps "governmental") culture that makes it acceptable in the minds of the kidnappers.

No disrespect to the commoners of Iran.

GUWonder

I've known no national government to condone kidnappings across as many countries during the past 20 years as has been done by and for the US Government across at least three continents. Is kidnapping part of American culture? More so than it is part of the "culture" of Iran, by that measure at least. Whether or not disrespect toward "commoners" of a country is or is not honestly intended, the claim that kidnapping is part of the Iranian culture is like saying the KKK and kidnapping is part of American culture. Do we really want to stake a claim to kidnapping being part of American (perhaps "governmental") culture?

For a window into the US Government condoning kidnapping, check out the following:

https://www.aclu.org/other/fact-shee...nary-rendition

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_rendition

Many tens of thousands of Polish citizens -- probably upward of 100k during WW2 -- were well received and hosted due to Iranian culture. Can't recall kidnapping of Polish citizens being part of Iranian culture then or since. Many Iranians still recall playing host to large numbers of Polish citizens, and Iranians are proud of being good hosts -- as it's part of the culture -- to large numbers of Polish citizens then too.

Unless a person visiting Iran is involved in questionable circles or around questionable areas, by Iranian government standards, foreign visitors -- more so if they aren't of Iranian ethnic origins -- from Europe and the Americas tend to be treated much better in Iran (even by Iranian government officials) than in the US or in North Korea. If I had a Polish passport and were of a different historical background, I'd have no hesitation about using it to visit Iran.

rankourabu

I felt safer in Iran than anytime when I travel to the USA.

Iran is an amazing country, as a Polish citizen (like me), you are free to move about the country as you please. If you only have a week, I would skip Tehran, and stay with Shiraz, Yazd and Eshafan.
Weather in the summer is suprisingly not too hot, but beware you have to keep long pants on all the time.

Lebanon and Jordan are also fine picks. Lebanon more for food/beach, Jordan for desert and Petra

AlexanderRae

I recommend Lebanon. It's safe and extremely beautiful. And most of its population speaks English.