flatlander

Non-stamping of passports may be to ease travel elsewhere in the world as well as the USA. Similarly to how Isreal doesn't stamp passports so that people who may go elsewhere in the region are not discouraged from visiting Israel, the Iranians might also wish to encourage visits from people who have no opinion in the local political squabbles but don't want to be held up or rejected from other countries nearby. The Americans are particularly keen on controlling people's actions at a distance but other countries are more pragmatic and simply look for recent evidence, like a passport stamp, instead of requiring some declaration of a decade of unswerving fealty to the West.

Given how badly their oil revenues are going to go in the near future, I imagine the Iranians would like to seek alternate source of revenue like tourism to diversify their economy. Compare Oman, except Oman has more peaceable international relations.

BA Humbug

The 3 times I took it was a 777, and I remember being the only one in cw two of those times, and Y was about 1/3 to 2/3 full. The F section was blocked off entirely.

it's very sad as it was planning to use it as an affordable way home to north america from DXB considering I moved here a few months ago. I've also been consistently using "Iran is my favourite country to visit " as one of my icebreaker facts at office parties and networking events -- wonderful people and an extremely rich history and culture.

BA Humbug

if your second passport is Canadian or American, it doesn't matter now does it ?

I don't understand why the us finds it relevant what you do as the citizen of another country. If they were so concerned they should simply not allow multiple citizenship when becoming a us citizen , however this may be venturing into omni.

FlyingScientist

I was approved promptly for Global Entry after having been to Iran (and Pakistan).

LondonElite

Leaping_Deere

Very sad to see this go, Mrs Leaping_Deere is Iranian, the in-laws still live in Tehran, I've been 2 times, not as many as many times as I would like. (I had a short business visa just over 2 years ago and went twice quickly whilst I had it)

Trying to keep on topic and not getting into politics but It's an amazing country with an very complex history and society structure, which isn't surprising since it's one of the world oldest civilisations.

it doesn't surprise me, I think BA were getting alot of business from the Iranian-American/Canadians travellers but perhaps the european et al business travellers which they needed to make it profitable dried up with the renewed political troubles.

Reading around this news story it looks like LH, AF/KL are having similar problems, Alitalia will be left and TK of course. From a OW perspective there is still QR but every time I priced flights QR were the most expensive.

I would say to readers that please don't be put off and visit and don't worry about the USA situation, I was fortunate to keep my ESTA but Mrs Leaping_Deere had to get a B1 and she didn't have any problems.

rhivolution

My experience was that no background story other than the truth was necessary. I applied for and then got my US B1/B2 visa last year after visits to Somalia and Sudan as a tourist. It was a very straightforward process and they didn't question me on the specifics of my visits, other than ask where in each country I had visited. I'm sure that travelling to Iran as a tourist is infinitely more common than going to Somalia, and so I speak from experience that I wouldn't let the US visa thing put anyone off travelling to the US naughty list. It's an extra day off work (or a few hours if your'e London based) to sort the visa appointment out, and £140 or so, but they're not going to deny you entry because you went to Iran, and once you have the visa, you're good for 10 years.

So when's the Tehran Meet Up?