Iran offers cash to U.S. tourists

[Ezekiel25:17]

Iran offers cash to U.S. tourists

POSTED: 5:53 a.m. EST, November 1, 2006


TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran will offer cash incentives to travel agencies to encourage Western tourists to visit the country, giving a premium for Americans, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
The Islamic republic's political leadership has been trying to reach out to ordinary Americans to show that a standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions is with the Bush administration -- not U.S. citizens.
The latest initiative comes as the United Nations Security Council deliberates a draft resolution that would impose sanctions on Iran for its disputed nuclear program.
"Iran's tourism department will pay $20 per person to those who attract European or American tourists to the country," the agency on Tuesday quoted Mohammed Sharif Malakzadeh, deputy head of the department, as saying.
Visitors from other countries would earn travel agents $10 per tourist, Malakzadeh said.
Last week, Iran's fiercely anti-U.S. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expressed opposition to a bill that would require Americans to be fingerprinted on arrival in Iran.
The bill, which passed a preliminary reading in the Iranian parliament earlier this month, was drafted by conservatives who sought to retaliate for U.S. requirements that Iranian visitors be fingerprinted. It has not been debated yet.
The U.S. measure, which also applies to nationals of some other countries, was implemented in 2002 in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.
In an earlier attempt to reach out to Americans, Ahmadinejad in January proposed the resumption of direct commercial flights between Iran and the United States, which were halted more than 25 years ago.
The United States and Iran have not had diplomatic relations since Iranian militants stormed the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979.
The atmosphere between the two countries improved marginally under former President Mohammad Khatami, who encouraged sports and cultural exchanges, but it deteriorated after the Sept. 11 attacks, when President Bush declared that Iran belonged to an "axis of evil" with Iraq and North Korea.
Since taking office last year, Ahmadinejad has widened the gap with Washington by taking a hard-line position on Iran's nuclear program and calling for Israel's destruction.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/11/01/iran.tourism.ap/index.html

[Hiroshima]

Come see our Insane President and get your picture taken with him?

[annihilation]

I'd go....

[Johnny_H]

Hey man you got to give these persians credit where its due, Iran seems kind of moderate, the climate I mean of the place it self seems kinda neat, sure there are anti holocaust exibits, and umm brutal public executions and stuff, but past that it seems a nice place, ill never go but hell the invite wasnt for Canadians was it ;)

[Flamming_Python]

I heard that they are rather paying a commision to all travel agencies who take people to Iran at $10 for Western visitors, and $5 for others, instead of paying the actual travellers.

[seraosha]

Tempting.

Last time a relative was in Iran the students were getting ready to storm the embassy...uncle and family barely got out, and wouldn't have if they hadn't been helped by the friends they made...Iranians are cool folks, but their mullahs and president are bat**** crazy.

[martinexsquaddie]

can't really blame them
occupied by the uk
democratic president replaced by tryant courtesy of the UK/ USA
number one enemy put in power courtesy of the USA who then started a murderous war trying to invade iran
tryant shielded by the USA when by rights he should have got his just deserts
http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobsiran.html
then the US navy shooting and iraninan airliner down.
not exactly going to win any friendship awards in tehran is it?

[2Sheds_Jackson]

can't really blame them
occupied by the uk
democratic president replaced by tryant courtesy of the UK/ USA
number one enemy put in power courtesy of the USA who then started a murderous war trying to invade iran
tryant shielded by the USA when by rights he should have got his just deserts
http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobsiran.html
then the US navy shooting and iraninan airliner down.
not exactly going to win any friendship awards in tehran is it?

Yes these events occurred exactly as you've outlined them, separate from any other circumstances of temporal context. Iran is uniquely blessed and singled out in the world to be an eternal victim.

I have an idea. Instead of offering a $20 bounty on American tourists, why not spend that money getting all the state-sponsored "death to America the great Satan" graffiti cleaned off the buildings? Or, maybe they could acknowledge that their government abducting and holding Americans hostage as a means to effect change was wrong...and stop praising the hostage takers as State Heroes. And maybe, I dunno, promise not to kidnap and ransom any more Americans? Nah, the $20 will probably be easier.

[Universe]

come see our nukes and our missile launchers and get cash :p

[EsoognomEhT]

Come see our Insane President and get your picture taken with him?

I thought it said Iran offers cash to US tourists, not the other way round?

[Hiroshima]

Oh come on.....President Bush isn't insane. Besides, the voices he listens too are not inside his head.

[Hypno85]

I go if they offer cash to British tourist and allow me to see there nuclear plant and carry a few biggish blocks of C4 around.

[Hellfish]

I'd go in a heartbeat if I could afford it and not earn the ire of the US government.

[Universe]

Ive been in tehran once and I can say its a pretty pollutted city and the only food I remmeber or one that is worth remembering was the sheeps brain a tasty local delicatess.

[a_very_ex_STAB]

I'd go if they start paying us Brits to visit. Always up for a paid holiday :-)
Isfahan is supposed to be absolutely beautiful - would love to see it. Persian cuisine is excellent and they have great skiing in the north apparently.

[kraf001]

nobody is paying Americans to go.. we just changed our Visa laws and ppl can get a 14 day tourist visa upon their arrival to Iranian international borders... also there was this "finger printing Americans before they enter Iran" which was about to pass as a law in parliament as a reaction to what Americans do to Iranian travellers.. but it was scrapped due to an official request from Ahmadinejad himself...

what Iran is paying is to the world travel agencies to promote Iranian tourist spots more (on Iran's budget) or maybe give attractive deals in terms of prizes or flight tickets... the focus is on Americans because the Europeans already (still not in great numbers, but far more than Americans) have discovered Iran…

[kraf001]

I'd go if they start paying us Brits to visit. Always up for a paid holiday :-)
Isfahan is supposed to be absolutely beautiful - would love to see it. Persian cuisine is excellent and they have great skiing in the north apparently.
the real beauty of Iran is preserved cultures, although there are some protests here and there against government for mistreatment of minorities, the actual ppl from different ethnicity and religions get along just fine which is unique and surreal by today's world standard (needless to say impossible by ME standard)...

Iran hosts Isfahan which is known as "half of the world" (because foreign travellers in old days claimed they have seen half of the beauty of the world after seeing this city).. but for attracting tourists you don't need to always show case mature culture, a scene like this is getting thousands to come to Iran from every corner of the world:

http://www.irna.com/occasion/norouz/images/shahr/masooleh.jpg

[Hiroshima]

Wow...I'm inclined to agree....

[Gibby]

I'd go....

I would too. Ive had family thats been to Iran and they walked away with great respect for the country and people. Iran is not the "evil empire" people think it is. The young people are very progressive and dress simmilar to any US young person. Most of Iran is very progressive. Which is why it came as a shock to me there wasnt or isnt more of a backlash against their current leadership.

[Gothjod]

so... What do the tourist get? Body armor?

[Noble713]

Hmmm, I'd put some thought into it, at least. I get the impression the country has a "public self" (toeing the official party line to stay out of trouble) and a "private self" (partying just like the rest of us). If there are more hotties like the Iranian chick I met this summer it's definitely worth the visit.;)

[Crazed Aussie]

I've visited a few Iranian anti-govt web sites. You get the impression that nobody wants to be singled-out for retribution, and that not a lot of the population wildly supports the Govt/Mullahs hardline crap. It can't be easy speaking out publicly, when there's a good chance you'll wind up in prison or much worse. That said, people are people, differences of opinion will exist, and i seriously doubt that many Iranians want western folks dead.

[LRPV]

Hey Kraf001, is it still necessary for tourists to enter the country with sufficient cash to last the trip? Can you get travellers cheques cashed at the bank now?

The visa change is great news.

[kraf001]

Hey Kraf001, is it still necessary for tourists to enter the country with sufficient cash to last the trip? Can you get travellers cheques cashed at the bank now?

The visa change is great news.
I don't know what are you comparing the current situation with.. if lets say with 10 years ago? then things are light years ahead... the travellers cheque and credit cards had locations in Tehran (which is the city that you need to land first before going anywhere else in Iran) to change into Iranian currency but I am not sure if the recent wave of sanctions towards Iranian banks has re-introduced the limitations or not... I will be in Iran throughout December, and I will be able to give you a more concrete answer then...

although MP.net is filtered in Iran I hope to find ways to stay in touch with you guys... maybe I make the Kish air show and take some pictures from Iranian jets fighters :)

hope to see some of you there p-)

[LRPV]

I don't know what are you comparing the current situation with.. if lets say with 10 years ago? then things are light years ahead... the travellers cheque and credit cards had locations in Tehran (which is the city that you need to land first before going anywhere else in Iran) to change into Iranian currency but I am not sure if the recent wave of sanctions towards Iranian banks has re-introduced the limitations or not... I will be in Iran throughout December, and I will be able to give you a more concrete answer then...

although MP.net is filtered in Iran I hope to find ways to stay in touch with you guys... maybe I make the Kish air show and take some pictures from Iranian jets fighters :)

hope to see some of you there p-)

kraf001, I was comparing to last year.

...stay away from nuclear reactors or the jets you photogragh might not be Iranianp-)

[kraf001]

kraf001, I was comparing to last year.

...stay away from nuclear reactors or the jets you photogragh might not be Iranianp-)

not much has changed from last year.. but I don't think limitations where much to handle last year.. I met with a lot of Eastern European backpackers in Iran so if those poor guys can have a blast, the average American or Western Europeans should be just fine.

sorry but I would be stupid to miss a chance to visit Natanz (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=80386&highlight=natanz)(guess closest I can get to the nuclear reactors)...

[gaijinsamurai]

I would love to visit Iran. Photos I've seen of Islamic architecture are breathtaking, and the women are some of the most beautiful in the world. Plus, there are places with great skiing, and it would be nice to buy a carpet from Esfahan, Tabriz, or best of all, Nain.
Two of my cousins are half-Iranian, and we've talked about going there together, when the conditions are better.