19 Jul 2021 | 01:09 PM UTC
Iran: Authorities implement transport bans during Eid e-Qorban, July 20-25 /update 43
Authorities in Iran announce a transport ban in most provinces, July 20-25, due to COVID-19; entry restrictions remain in place.
Event
Authorities have announced a ban on interprovincial travel for provinces designated as yellow, orange, and red, July 20-25. Authorities in Iran use a four-tier, color-coded system to track COVID-19 activity by individual localities and assign restrictions accordingly. The transport ban measure is being enforced to curb the spread of COVID-19 during the Eid e-Qorban holiday. Some provinces have implemented interprovincial travel bans past the holiday.
Those that travel into or out of red cities during the Eid e Qorban holiday for nonessential reasons are subject to fines of up to 10,000,000 rials. Those that travel into orange and yellow cities for nonessential reasons are subject to fines of up to 5,000,000 rials.
Domestic Measures
Facemasks are mandatory in enclosed public spaces and on public transportation. In Tehran, facemasks are compulsory in public areas.
Officials may designate cities as blue, yellow, orange, or red zones in increasing order of virus transmission threat. As of July 15, 163 cities are at the red level following a continued surge in cases. In red cities, only essential services such as food providers and medical centers are allowed to open. In cities at the yellow and orange levels, most shopping malls can open, and government offices may operate at reduced capacity. Educational institutions and places of worship, however, remain closed.
Travel into and out of red and orange zones is prohibited.
Tehran remains categorized as red as of July 19.
A nightly 22:00-03:00 traffic ban is in place nationwide.
International Travel
International flights remain operational but limited. Authorities are not issuing tourist visas.
On July 4, Iranian authorities banned entry for travelers from 12 countries to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. As of July 19, the ban remains in place. The affected countries are Botswana, Brazil, eSwatini, India, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, South Africa, Uruguay, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, travelers from 24 other high-risk countries - Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Kuwait, Lithuania, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Namibia, Paraguay, Peru, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tunisia - can enter Iran but must take a PCR test upon arrival.
All travelers to Iran must submit a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken within 96 hours before boarding.
Citizens who have not taken the test are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at a government-designated site at their own expense.
Authorities will deny entry to foreign nationals arriving without a negative COVID-19 test.
Restrictions are in place for travel to and from Iraq via land border crossings; commercial transport is exempt.
Iranian authorities could reimpose, extend, further ease, or otherwise amend any restrictions with little-to-no notice depending on disease activity over the coming weeks.
Advice
Liaise with trusted local contacts for further information on travel area-specific restrictions. Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Reconfirm all business appointments and travel arrangements. Consider delaying traveling if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments. Plan for queues and delays at available shopping centers.
