Iran travel guide
Best time to visit from the UK, weather, festivals, flights from London and FCDO travel advice.
Persian gardens and dazzling mosques; check FCDO advice first
Don't miss
- Isfahan
- Persepolis
- Shiraz
Best time to visit Iran from the UK
The UK government advises against all travel here. Check the FCDO advice below before making any plans.
Mar–May and Sep–Nov; the UK FCDO advises against all travel. Busiest and priciest: Apr–May, Oct.
Each bar is the average temperature in Tehran for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).
- Warmest: July (30°C) · coolest: January (3°C)A 27°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.
Temperatures as a table
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3 | 5.4 | 10.7 | 15.7 | 22 | 27.9 | 30.5 | 29.2 | 24.8 | 18.2 | 9.6 | 4.8 |
Festivals and events
- Nowruz Mar · Nationwide
- Ashura Varies · Nationwide
Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.
Getting there from the UK
- Flight time
- About 6h
- Distance
- 4,422 km
- Main airport
- IKA
Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.
Practical info and travel guidance
- FCDO adviceAdvises against all travelYour travel insurance may not cover you.
- VisaVisa needed in advanceApply in advance
- HealthcareNo free healthcareYou pay for treatment, so travel insurance with medical cover is essential.
- LGBT+ travellersIllegal, and the death penalty is possibleRead the FCDO LGBT+ advice before you go.
- Women travellersStrict laws and dress codes affect womenRead the FCDO advice before you go.
For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Iran, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 13 August 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Iran before you book and again before you go.
Open Iran on the map Log it as visited, drop pins for the places you went, or plan it as your next trip.