Iran Welcomes 3.5 Million Foreign Tourists in First Half of Year

Tehran, The Gulf Observer: Approximately 3.5 million foreign tourists visited Iran during the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi Amiri announced on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting, Salehi Amiri cited police data indicating that Mashhad, the northeastern city that hosts the holy shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), remained the most popular destination among foreign visitors.

He noted that tourist arrivals in the first two months of the calendar year recorded an average increase of 30% compared to the same period last year. However, the minister said that entries declined over the subsequent three months due to the 12-day Israeli-imposed war, which affected regional travel patterns.

Salehi Amiri added that the flow of tourists returned to normal levels in the following months, reaffirming the resilience of Iran’s tourism sector despite regional challenges.