Russian Ambassador to Tehran: Hijab and alcohol ban prevent Russian citizens from traveling to Iran

The Russian ambassador to Tehran says that the mandatory hijab and the ban on alcohol in Iran are two major obstacles for Russian citizens to travel to the country.

In an interview with the Moscow-based Izvestia newspaper, Levan Jagaryan praised Iran's sights and tourist areas, but acknowledged that Russian citizens prefer to travel to Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and other countries.

He stated: "I have repeatedly and clearly told Iranians that two major issues prevent Russian citizens, and not just tourists, from entering Iran. One is the issue of the dress code for women, which today makes the hijab mandatory everywhere in the country, even in the heat, and the other is that alcoholic beverages are prohibited."

According to him, Russian citizens "do not face these problems" when traveling to other countries, and although "there are many sights in Iran, [such as] Pasargadae, Shiraz, and Isfahan," "there have never been many Russian tourists to Iran."

At the end of his speech, Mr. Dzhagarian expressed his hope that Russian tourists "will not travel to unfriendly countries and spend foreign currency there, [but] will do so exclusively in countries that are friendly to Russia."

Source: Radio Farda