Russia is set to launch the first visa-free group trips to Iran and China from August 1, Eco Pravda reported on July 30.

Russian tour operators have been exploring new markets such as Iran and China for inbound tourists. However, logistical hurdles persist, including the question of how sanctioned Iranian tourists would be able to make payments. Meanwhile, Iranian tour operators, grappling with a decrease in high-value Western tourists since sanctions were enforced by the former Trump administration in 2018, have seized the opportunity to host high-spending Russian tour groups in historic cities like Isfahan and Shiraz.

“We have exchanged lists of tour operators, all procedures have been completed, and literally from day to day, we expect that the first groups will come to us,” Russian Ministry of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov said.

“The second point is that we are expanding air traffic. Now you can fly to Russia by direct flights from more than 30 countries,” the Russian minister added.

Tour operators can organise visa-free travel for organised groups of tourists within the framework of intergovernmental agreements between Russia and China and Russia and Iran, agreed earlier between the countries respectively.

Trips are possible for 15 days in groups of 5 to 50 people.

Earlier in February, Iran hinted at several stages of negotiations between the two countries.

In June last year, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran was ready to cancel the visa regime with Russia.

According to the Iranian minister, in the first stage, the countries said they were to cancel visas for businesspersons.