Is it realistically safe to travel to Iran? I am white from random EU country nobody knows about so it would have no political benefit holding me, but I don't want to accidently end up in protests and get detained
Is it realistically safe to travel to Iran?
It depends on
A. What your state department says
B. Your level of interest in fucking around and finding out
Listen to government travel advisories say, otherwise you’re playing with fire
>listen to the state department
jesus i thought the fcdo was bad - if you listen to the USA govt you literally cant leave America without dying
>safe in iran
not at the moment,imho - mainly cos of the protests. if you go you'll meet amazing people and most likely be treated incredibly well but if the govt decide to fuck with you...you are super fucked. id swerve for now .
Only do not travel areas:
Russia
Iraq
Iran
Ukraine
Mali
Venezuela
Somalia
Belarus
Burkina Faso
CAR
Sudan
South Sudan
Haiti
Afghanistan
Syria
Yemen
Libya
North Korea
Which of those do you not agree with given the current political climate?
put it this way the hard NOs for me on that list are:
Iraq except for kurdistan
Iran
Mali
CAR
Haiti
Yemen
there are places in some of the other countries i wouldn't visit - eg the donbass! - but that could be said of many countries. but the suggestion you cant go anywhere safely in Belarus for example is over the top.
Plus like the FCDO its not the "NO" list thats as hilarious as the "kinda sketchy" list where they dont forbid you to go but try to put the fear of god into you.
missed Burkina Faso.. sorry
Unless you’re native, have lived there extensively, or are on business, you’d be insane to visit most of those nations right now
Sometimes it’s not just about your safety, but also current policy. Why visit somewhere like Russia at a time when the news is undoubtedly highly anti-American, which is shaping public opinion and thus will likely impact how you’ll be treated? On some level, it’s essentially subverting the government of the country you’re visiting
Russia (and Ukraine since its also at war) I'll give you but Belarus is an ostensibly neutral country. Sudan isn't particularly unsafe compared to Africa in general. The British government only advises people not to travel to certain areas near the border with conflict-zone countries. The state department lists Germany as a country with "exercise increased precautions" but Paraguay as "take normal precautions." The state department is silly.
Do you think US citizens are received the same as British citizens in every country?
Also there are various other factors that are overlooked, like potentially wanting to limit USD cashflow into certain countries
It's honestly fine. I don't understand how Americans can be such brainwashed retards to blindly believe everything CNN tells them. I posted on Facebook and insta that I was going to Russia. Got a huge amount of butthurt and people warning me not to go. I was only there for 9 days but it was fine. My biggest worry was if I would lose my wallet as credit cards can't be used there. No one treated me badly. People were just surprised as to why the fuck I was there.
>Unless you’re native, have lived there extensively, or are on business, you’d be insane to visit most of those nations right now
insane...moi? probably. but im probably in just as much danger in some parts of the USA, UK or France yet no one says "your govt advises you swerve chicago"
>Sometimes it’s not just about your safety, but also current policy.
for you maybe. for me, i make rational judgements about my safety. idgaf about current policy because it's just that 'current' - the latest flavour that will be switched at a moments notice when it suits the govt.
you mentioned ukraine on your list- when i visited in 2017 the UK advice was to be careful partly because of the neo-nazi paramilitary and anti govt protestors. there was no restraint to visiting russia. how times change..
>Why visit somewhere like Russia at a time when the news is undoubtedly highly anti-American, which is shaping public opinion and thus will likely impact how you’ll be treated?
a: not American b: i dont represent my countries politics anymore than i expect people to 'immediately' represent theirs. I've been to places where i should be hated, and yet i've overwhelmingly been greeted with kindness, hospitality and care. Are there arseholes in these places - yep. But the only place someone has pulled a gun on me is in Boston - a place the UK govt have no concerns about me visiting.
>On some level, it’s essentially subverting the government of the country you’re visiting
but im not visiting the government. im visiting the country and its people.
not saying you dont need to be careful. but in the same way i guess you never stick to speed limits even though the govt says thats whats safe, why would you stick to their travel advice?
tl;dr? fuck the govt, they dont have your best interest at heart. go meet some people.
This entire post screams narcissism and self-absorption.
Are there areas in the Us/UK/France just as dangerous? Sure, but
1. The countries aren’t responsible for advocating/denouncing travel to/fro those areas
2. Most foreign travelers are affluent relative to/isolated from those areas
3. Perpetuating a culture of fear about something unavoidable is bad policy, not to mention the affect it would have on those domestic areas
Do/say whatever you want about the government in your home country, going into foreign nations and showing a similar level of disrespect is peak arrogance
Diplomacy isn’t static, foreign policy can change at a moment’s notice, and clearly the climate in Ukraine/Russia has shifted dramatically over the last 5 years
You’re making this about you and not about the people/areas you’re visiting. You are visiting their country, not gracing them with your presence
Glowie
No, but in the v serious, translational topic i.e. international travel, dumbshit like undermining the political processes/autonomy of a nation/people/government should rank near the top of the stupid games not to play list
Fuck around in your home country/on the internet if you want, but leave those bags behind when going abroad. It’s not your place, it’s theirs
>This entire post screams narcissism and self-absorption.
you may be unsurprised to learn i care as little about your diagnosis as i do the governments advisory - its equally overblown and inaccurate.
>Are there areas in the Us/UK/France just as dangerous? Sure, but
>1. The countries aren’t responsible for advocating/denouncing travel to/fro those areas
>2. Most foreign travelers are affluent relative to/isolated from those areas
>3. Perpetuating a culture of fear about something unavoidable is bad policy, not to mention the affect it would have on those domestic areas
im struggling to make sense of this, but if this means what i think it does - so what?
>Do/say whatever you want about the government in your home country, going into foreign nations and showing a similar level of disrespect is peak arrogance
i think you're a bit slow. my whole point is i don't disrespect other countries but listening to what my government says about them. To assume 'my' country was always right would be arrogant, my position is not.
>Diplomacy isn’t static, foreign policy can change at a moment’s notice, and clearly the climate in Ukraine/Russia has shifted dramatically over the last 5 years
the situation in Ukraine has been tense since 2014 and before. But if what you are saying is things can change at a moments notice, then why follow fcdo orr state department advice that is potential out of date the second its written?
>You’re making this about you and not about the people/areas you’re visiting. You are visiting their country, not gracing them with your presence
Actually you replied to me, so you made this about you. That said, many of the countries I visit that dont get a lot of tourism seem over the moon to see people visit.
I get it, you think we should all do two weeks somewhere safe and approved in europe - and if thats what you want to do, go for it
>North Korea
Lol what? Its one of the safest travel locations, just dont be a retard and break the local law
I'm sure Russia, Iran, Belarus and North Korea are fine as long as you don't act like a retard.
The rest of them all have insurgency/war zones.
>Russia
It's fine probably just hard to get visas with no consular service and hard to get in with borders closed.
>Iran
The country is turning into an unsafe place, it's probably a bit risky is many parts
>Ukraine
I think some parts are fine but could you ever get there with restrictions unless you are a citizen?
>Belarus
Probably like Russia but I literally have a language friend from there, who are living normally.
>North Korea
It's literally fine to go there, you pay for a tour guide and group tour. Just don't insult them, it's not hard.
The rest are just poor or have civil wars going on, still people travel there anywhere. Just be safe and bring little to get stolen, stay in a nice hotel, get a tour guide, know some local words.
>hard to get in with borders closed
The Russian borders haven't been closed since 2022.
>It's literally fine to go to North Korea
They literally beat an American from a tour group into brain death
>Just don't insult them, it's not hard
Even assuming they won't find some bullshit excuse to keep you there, they'd consider it an insult if you coughed while a propaganda radio was playing the national anthem in your general vicinity. They'll detain you because they feel like it and there ain't shit you can do to stop it.
>They literally beat an American from a tour group into brain death
He tried to kill himself but the family doesn't want you to know that to maximize their gibs.
>They'll detain you because they feel like it and there ain't shit you can do to stop it.
They detain you if you do something your guides can't cover up, massively offending their country or being a very obnoxious glowie.
As a foreign prisoner you'll get treatment many locals ca dream of, your "prison" being a mediocre hotel room with three meals a day, your "hard labor" average farm work.
For getting arrested in a hostile country, North Korea is probably your best choice.
Burma isn't on that list? How?
>Only do not travel areas:
>Russia. It's fine.
>Iraq. It's fine. Especially KRG
>Iran. Extremely safe. Just don't get political.
>Ukraine. Safe in Kiev only.
>Mali. The whole Southern region is very safe. Do not go North.
>Venezuela. For Real Travellers® only
>Somalia. Dangerous af. Go to Somaliland
>Belarus. Not dangerous in the slightest. How did this even get on the list?
>Burkina Faso. Just don't fuck around.
>CAR. Hardcore outside of the capital
>Sudan. Exceedingly safe. Only the state dept wants to scare you from seeing so
>South Sudan. Sketchy. Security are jumpy and aggressive. I would only travel around with someone experienced in the country
>Haiti. Sketchy. Be on your guard but doable
>Afghanistan. Surprisingly safe. There have been trip reports. However, not enough, still an unknown
>Syria. Very safe now. Especially Damascus
>Yemen. Dangerous but Socotra is still OK
>Libya. Dangerous
>North Korea. This is a hard one. You could be set up and used. Don't steal a poster and go into a coma
my biggest experience in my life was when I was looking for a restaurant. A bystander asked me what am I looking for, I told him there should be a restaurant, he said me that its closed for a month now, so he invited me to his home where his wife made me a lunch and they didint accept money from me
>random EU country nobody knows about
Are you from eastern europe
What are my chances of being murdered as an American veteran
Russia has had some sort of weird advertising push to get foreigners to visit Russia. They even had a video advertising Russia to incels, implying they could have sex if they went to Russia. Macabre.
The main downside is you will lose ESTA by visiting.
Only if they can track you, i.e. by flying in.
when i went to syria i made sure to go on a passport that was due to expire. their passport control offered not to stamp it, but i let them cos i wanted it. just didnt go to the USA until got my new passport.
Can this happen with visiting any other country? (ie Russia)
I don't understand people that go to NK.
You're helping to wash money for a fat dictator, so he can shoot rockets into the sea, live luxuriously while 99% of the country is starving/under educated/enslaved.
Practically you're restricted to a special route, you won't even observe real NK despair and suffering.
The only reason I'd ever visit NK (current state), if I were a completionist for visiting every country on this planet.
>You're helping to wash money for a fat dictator
Trump isn't president any more and he wasn't that fat.
Iran is safe and always has been, there's a few remote areas and bad neibourhoods where general crime is a problem but that's about it.
Everyone I've known who backpacked through Iran says that it was Greece tier hospitable though somewhat conservative, tourists are sometimes unwelcome in places of worship, police work kind of differently in Iran so it's important to just nod and agree.
It's legit the safest country in the middle east. I've been there last yer before the whole "another love" revolt, but it's currently pretty calm, i had a friend that was there just last week.
Unlike other middle eastern countries the police there will not be trying to scam you, no one will actually try to scam you. Only annoyance is sellers that will try to get you to buy stuff because they are starving and need that extra tourist money.
And the food is amazing.
I'll finish by shilling my youtube video i made there because why not: https://youtu.be/VPtAA8JbZNE