Safest cities in Iran
108 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in IranTerrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Iran.
Leaving Iran in an emergency
- In an emergency, for example if there is serious violence, unrest or a deterioration in the security situation, the UK government will not be able to evacuate you, provide face-to-face assistance or help you if you get into difficulty. In these situations, it may become more difficult to leave safely. If you are a British national already in Iran,…
Risk of arrest, detention and a death sentence
- Consular, welfare and family access while in detentionIf you are detained in Iran, your case will be in the hands of the Iranian authorities, who have demonstrated a pattern of hostility towards the UK and its citizens. If you are a British-Iranian dual national, the UK government will not be notified of your detention, nor will we be given permission to see you. The Iranian authorities will control…
- ProtestsIranian authorities have accused people with links to the UK of inciting protests. If you are in or near a protest, you are at serious risk of arrest. Mass arrests, including of bystanders, happen often. It is difficult to predict where protests will take place, and they may turn violent. British nationals arrested in connection with protests may…
- Activities that put you at riskHaving a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the authorities to detain you. Some activities put you at even greater risk.
Border areas
- Border areas are highly sensitive. FCDO advises all British nationals already residing in Iran against all travel:
Crime
- ScamsThere have been some attacks and robberies targeted at foreign nationals and tourists, including attempted robberies by thieves posing as policemen, usually in civilian clothing. If you’re approached by anyone who claims to be a policeman, ask to see ID and request the presence of a uniformed officer or marked patrol car. Do not hand over…
- Methanol poisoningThere have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in Iran.
Money
- Getting cash in Iran is extremely difficult. Non-Iranian debit and cash cards will not work in Iran. It’s usually not possible to change travellers cheques.
Surrogacy and adoption
- If you’re visiting Iran to arrange an international surrogacy or adoption, consider the risks and challenges involved. Surrogacy is a complex, lengthy process. You should:
Laws and cultural differences
- RamadanRamadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. During this time, do not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in your car.
- Dress codesIslamic codes of behaviour and dress are strictly enforced. In public places women must cover their heads with a headscarf, wear trousers or a floor-length skirt, and a long-sleeved tunic or coat that reaches to mid-thigh or knee. Men should wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts in public.
- Relationships between men and womenAdultery and sex outside marriage are illegal under Iranian law and carry the death penalty.
- LGBT+ relationshipsSame-sex relationships are illegal under Iranian law and can carry the death penalty.
- Female travellersWomen should take extra care, particularly when travelling alone or with friends of the opposite sex. Women face a range of issues, from enforced hijab wearing to harassment due to there being relatively few foreign women in Iran. Respect local customs and avoid isolated areas. See more advice for women travelling abroad.
- Streaming service bansMany western streaming services including Netflix and Prime are banned in Iran.
- Alcohol banIt is illegal to import, sell, manufacture or drink alcohol in Iran. This is on religious grounds, with exceptions only for certain recognised Iranian religious minorities. Drinking alcohol in public is not allowed, with no exceptions. Penalties can be severe.
- Using cameras and electronic devicesPhotography near military and other government installations is strictly prohibited. You can be detained and charged with breaking national security laws. Sensitive government buildings and facilities are often difficult to identify. Take extreme care when taking photographs in any area. The Iranian authorities have arrested foreign nationals for…
- Illegal drugs penaltiesIt is illegal to import, sell, manufacture or consume drugs in Iran. Penalties for importing and possessing drugs are severe and enforced. Many people convicted of drug offences, including foreign nationals, have been executed.
- Personal IDYou must carry copies of your passport photo page and visa for identification. Make sure you have a copy of the emergency contact details.
- Satellite phones and dronesYou need permission from the Iranian authorities to import or use equipment like drones or satellite phones. Using them without permission is illegal and you could be arrested.
- Mobile phones, internet access and communicationsIranian authorities have blocked, significantly slowed or shut down landline, internet and mobile services without warning in the past. This can be nationwide or localised. This can affect communication and location services on smartphones and other devices. You should:
- Business travellersIndividuals involved in commercial disputes with Iranian companies risk being stopped from leaving the country until disputes are resolved.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you’re planning to drive in Iran, see information on driving abroad.
- TaxisMotorcycle taxis should not be used as they have sometimes taken tourists to quiet locations and robbed them.
- Air travelThe UK Air Safety List (ASL) lists all known airlines in Iran that do not meet international safety standards and are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the UK. Check the UK Air Safety List when considering which airlines to fly with. The list is maintained by the Department for Transport, based on advice from the…
- Sea travelMany areas of the Caspian Sea, Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are very politically and militarily sensitive, with increased military activity including seizures and attempted seizures, boardings and harassment of maritime vessels.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- EarthquakesMany parts of Iran are at risk of earthquakes and tremors. These can be high magnitude, cause damage to infrastructure and put lives at risk.
- FloodingSome provinces can suffer from floods in spring, particularly:
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Iran, updated 2026-08-13 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 2.38 /100k2014
- Income inequality
- Gini 35.92023
- Human development
- HDI 0.7992023
- Income
- $19,660/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 21.5 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 39/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 36/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 23/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 5.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.61GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 40.2 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 94%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 1.8 doctors /1k1.9 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 2 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 9.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 7.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 6.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 5.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Cyclone
- 1.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in Iran, with the death penalty applying in law (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.
How Iran compares
| Measure | Iran | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.4 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +0.0 /100k |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 35.9 | 35.2 | +0.7 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.799 | 0.763 | +0.036 — better for Iran |
| Road deaths | 21.5 /100k | 15.4 /100k | +6.1 /100k — better for World median |
| Rule of law | 36/100 | 52/100 | −16/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 23/100 | 39/100 | −16/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 40.2 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +20.5 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.8/10 | 3.8/10 | +2.0/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Iran | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 2.4 /100k | 1.5 /100k | +0.8 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 35.9 | 33.4 | +2.5 — better for Asia median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.799 | 0.766 | +0.033 — better for Iran |
| Road deaths | 21.5 /100k | 14.9 /100k | +6.6 /100k — better for Asia median |
| Rule of law | 36/100 | 52/100 | −16/100 — better for Asia median |
| Corruption perceptions | 23/100 | 37/100 | −14/100 — better for Asia median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 40.2 µg/m³ | 26.7 µg/m³ | +13.5 µg/m³ — better for Asia median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 5.8/10 | 3.6/10 | +2.2/10 — better for Asia median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 108 cities, safest first
- Ahwaz71.8 · #3168 worldwide
- Yazd71.8 · #3169 worldwide
- Narmashir71.8 · #3170 worldwide
- ویس71.8 · #3171 worldwide
- جیرفت71.8 · #3172 worldwide
- Bojnurd71.8 · #3173 worldwide
- MohammadAbad-e Rigan71.8 · #3174 worldwide
- Kashan71.8 · #3175 worldwide
- Fahraj71.8 · #3176 worldwide
- Abadan71.8 · #3177 worldwide
- Neqab71.8 · #3178 worldwide
- Sirjan71.8 · #3179 worldwide
- Birjand71.8 · #3180 worldwide
- Torbat-e Heydarieh71.8 · #3181 worldwide
- Meshkan71.8 · #3182 worldwide
- Rafsanjan71.8 · #3183 worldwide
- Sabzevar71.8 · #3184 worldwide
- Anar71.8 · #3185 worldwide
- Behbahan71.8 · #3186 worldwide
- Rabor71.8 · #3187 worldwide
- Khorramshahr71.8 · #3188 worldwide
- Quchan71.8 · #3189 worldwide
- Mashhad69.9 · #3380 worldwide
- Sareyn69.9 · #3381 worldwide
- Arak69.9 · #3382 worldwide
- Khorramabad69.9 · #3383 worldwide
- Gorgan69.9 · #3384 worldwide
- Neyshabur69.9 · #3385 worldwide
- Dezful69.9 · #3386 worldwide
- Golmorti69.9 · #3387 worldwide
- Yasuj69.9 · #3388 worldwide
- Gonbad-e Qabus69.9 · #3389 worldwide
- Jahrom County69.9 · #3390 worldwide
- Kuhdasht69.9 · #3391 worldwide
- Shahrud69.9 · #3392 worldwide
- Gholāmān-e Pā’īn69.9 · #3393 worldwide
- Andimeshk69.9 · #3394 worldwide
- Charam69.9 · #3395 worldwide
- Firuzeh69.9 · #3396 worldwide
- Tabriz68.8 · #3551 worldwide
- Qom68.8 · #3552 worldwide
- Hamedan68.8 · #3553 worldwide
- Bandar Abbas68.8 · #3554 worldwide
- Famenin68.8 · #3555 worldwide
- Qaraziadin68.8 · #3556 worldwide
- Borujerd68.8 · #3557 worldwide
- Saveh68.8 · #3558 worldwide
- Dorud68.8 · #3559 worldwide
- Isfahan68.0 · #3629 worldwide
- Zanjan68.0 · #3630 worldwide
- Khoy68.0 · #3631 worldwide
- Dolatabad68.0 · #3632 worldwide
- Najafabad68.0 · #3633 worldwide
- Shahin Shahr68.0 · #3634 worldwide
- Malayer68.0 · #3635 worldwide
- Mahdishahr68.0 · #3636 worldwide
- Marand68.0 · #3637 worldwide
- ساحلی68.0 · #3638 worldwide
- Shahr-e Kord68.0 · #3639 worldwide
- Ahar68.0 · #3640 worldwide
- Qazvin67.4 · #3763 worldwide
- Iranshahr67.4 · #3764 worldwide
- Ilam66.9 · #3783 worldwide
- Ardabil66.1 · #3838 worldwide
- Izeh66.1 · #3839 worldwide
- Mollasani65.8 · #3858 worldwide
- Shushtar65.8 · #3859 worldwide
- Sari65.5 · #3864 worldwide
- Babol65.5 · #3865 worldwide
- Surak65.5 · #3866 worldwide
- Qaem Shahr65.5 · #3867 worldwide
- Abbasabad65.3 · #3978 worldwide
- Amol65.0 · #3982 worldwide
- Rasht64.8 · #3993 worldwide
- Maragheh64.4 · #4041 worldwide
- Zabol64.4 · #4042 worldwide
- Chabahar63.9 · #4073 worldwide
- Shiraz62.8 · #4204 worldwide
- Marvdasht62.8 · #4205 worldwide
- Sarvestan62.7 · #4206 worldwide
- Kharameh62.7 · #4207 worldwide
- Kavar62.7 · #4208 worldwide
- Tasouj62.7 · #4209 worldwide
- معزآباد جابری62.7 · #4210 worldwide
- Valiasr62.7 · #4211 worldwide
- Akbarabad62.7 · #4212 worldwide
- Miandoab62.7 · #4213 worldwide
- Koohanjan62.7 · #4214 worldwide
- Kermanshah62.6 · #4230 worldwide
- Sanandaj62.3 · #4249 worldwide
- Tehran62.2 · #4258 worldwide
- Pishva62.2 · #4259 worldwide
- Qarchak62.2 · #4260 worldwide
- Pardis62.2 · #4261 worldwide
- Pakdasht62.2 · #4262 worldwide
- Karaj62.1 · #4268 worldwide
- Suran62.1 · #4269 worldwide
- Bukan62.0 · #4280 worldwide
- Safadasht61.9 · #4284 worldwide
- Mohammad Shahr61.9 · #4285 worldwide
- Salmas61.5 · #4334 worldwide
- Saqqez61.0 · #4359 worldwide
- Zahedan60.2 · #4419 worldwide
- Marivan59.5 · #4471 worldwide
- Kerman59.4 · #4480 worldwide
- Baneh59.1 · #4517 worldwide
- Mahabad58.8 · #4534 worldwide
- Urmia58.5 · #4564 worldwide