Iran will no longer require Chinese visitors to obtain visas, state media reports, as the sanctions-hit country attempts to boost tourism in the face of an economic crisis.
“The cabinet has agreed to waive visa requirements for Chinese nationals entering the Islamic Republic of Iran,” state news agency IRNA said.
Tourism board chief Ali Asghar Mounesan tells IRNA that “we aim to host two million Chinese tourists per year using our country’s numerous attractions.”
He says the sector is “unsanctionable” and could help offset the economic hardships caused by tough sanctions Washington reinstated after withdrawing from a multilateral nuclear deal last year.
The sanctions have particularly targeted Iran’s vital oil exports and international financial transactions, and were a major factor in the country’s ongoing recession.
According to IRNA, some 52,000 Chinese tourists visited Iran during the 12 months to March.
— AFP
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