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Is Iraq and Iran safe for tourists?

I'm leaving the UK in ten days and starting off in France with the eventual aim of getting to Jakarta, Indonesia. I'm a photographer (female) and I will be traveling on my own. Is it safe for me to go through Iraq and Iran and are tourists even allowed in at the moment? You may think I'm crazy but I want to be a photo journalist, and I've been wanting to do this for the last year. I have a little experience travelling, but if anyone could give me advice or information it would be really helpful. I will be keeping a blog at myspace.com/futuregraph and my photography work is available to look at here as well. Cheers, Nikki I know there is a war going on there, I'm a photographer, this is what we do.

Public Comments

Are you aware there is a war going on there? Heck no it's not safe!! I don't even think tourists are allowed there right now. Bad idea!
No.
as a woman i would never travel alone in a muslim country for several reasons. i would look for a travel partner if I were you.
NO.....Thank our goverments for that.
IRAQ - I cant even be assed to answer this one if your that stupid. I guess your imminent death is just evolution at work, why not go play in traffic, it will save you the air fare.
I wouldnt think so
It would be worth sending George W Bush and Tony Blair a free plane ticket each to find out
If you gave me 1,000,000 dollars I would have to think long and hard to go to either of these countries! Even then I would take machine guns and grenades and then I still would not go unless I had to get some family members out. But that is just me if you really want to go it might be possible but I would not recommend it. Good Luck.
I'd agree with Eraserhead ..it's obviously NOT safe, the troops can't even leave without fear of being blown up. It's a shame because that area of the world is a gateway to many beautiful architectural and geological sites. Male or female going alone is just crazy!!
last time i checked erm no
Uh - NO - and especially for a woman. You are automatically considered free game and a ho if you are not covered from head to toe. I would encourage you to go after you are hired to do so by a news agency. They can advise and dress you and somewhat protect you. Even male newspeople have been bombed, maimed, and killed.
Taken from The Foreign Office Travel Advice page: IRAQ: We advise against all travel to Baghdad and the surrounding area, the provinces of Basra, Maysan, Al Anbar, Salah Ad Din, Diyala, Wasit, Babil, Ninawa and At- Tamim (At -Tamim is often referred to as "Kirkuk Province"). We advise against all but essential travel to the provinces of Al Qadisiyah, Muthanna, Najaf, Karbala, and Dhi Qar. The security situation in Iraq remains highly dangerous with a continuing high threat of terrorism throughout Iraq, violence and kidnapping targeting foreign nationals, including individuals of non-western appearance. You are strongly advised to seek professional security advice and make arrangements for your security throughout your visit. Even those working with dedicated protection teams should exercise extreme caution. IRAN: We strongly advise against all travel to within 100km of the entire Iran/Afghanistan border or to within 10km of the entire Iran/Iraq border. The Pakistan border area is also insecure, and we advise against any travel east of the line running from Kerman to Bandar Abbas, this includes all travel to Bam. See the Terrorism & Security and Local Travel sections of this advice for more details. There is a general threat from terrorism. Explosions have killed a number of people since 2005. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriate and foreign travellers. See the Terrorism section of this advice for more details. You should avoid demonstrations and similar large public gatherings, as some may turn violent. Since 2004 there have been several violent attacks on, and violent demonstrations outside, the British Embassy compounds in Tehran, the most recent was on 14 June 2007. If you are planning to travel to Iran you should monitor political developments closely and check this advice regularly. A series of incidents in recent years have demonstrated that there is a risk of arbitrary arrest and detention by the Iranian authorities. In these and other cases involving foreign nationals, the Iranian authorities do not always fully meet their international consular obligations. See the Political Situation of this advice for more details. Good luck and all the best!!
The FCO recommend against all travel to most of Iraq and parts of Iran. Check out travellers advice on http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590 and keep checking since the situation changes from day to day. As a photojournalist, your job carries particular risks. Some people don't want to be photographed doing what they do. Remember that even the paparazzi have minders. A lone female with a camera travelling through a potential war zone might be considered an easy target.
I wouldn't risk Iraq except for maybe the Kurdish areas in the north. However, as long as you obey the dress codes and watch out for maniac drivers in the cities, I believe Iran is relatively safe. do you need a travel companion as I would love to visit Iran.
aww c'mon couldn't you work that one out for yourself...
You will most definitely need a travel visa to enter Iran. However they don't give them out to just anyone. You have to fill certain requirements to get it. Without a visa you could likely face jail time for who knows how long. I've been to Iran with my husband and it was safe. We were in Tehran for three weeks and in Mashhad for one week. Its an experience I'll never forget. I don't have anything negative to say about Iran. Well, the traffic is quite scary, but everything else was wonderful! The people there so friendly, I never once felt like a stranger. But, I would not pass the border without the appropriate documents. I'm not sure about Iraq. But in all honesty, for safety's sake, I would find a way to go around these two coutries, ESPECIALLY if you are traveling alone.
I know exactly what you mean! I would love to do something like that too and think that it would be amazing. However, Iran and Iraq are not the best places to venture into right now. As you know, there is a war in Iraq right now and its impossible to get in the country. Secondly, going there is really not a good idea. I am not one of those people that will say that going to a muslim country is something a woman should do alone. on the contrary, most muslim countries are not hard to get around, despite you being a woman. however, there are exceptions and Iran and Iraq are two of those exceptions. If you do go to Iran, make sure that you are with a group.It is also extremely difficult to get a visa because you have to fufill a lot of requirements. Don't go to Iraq. It is extremly dangerous at this point. Like I said, I understand completly where you are coming from and think that it would be exciting to go to a place where few people are able to go. However, Iraq is just plain dangerous for westerners at this point. There are many exotic places that you could visit inbetween the UK and Indonesia that will look good on any resume. if you really have your mind set on a middleastern country, then consider Syria. Its still somewhat hostile towards foreigners but there is tourism. Its highly unlikely that anything will happen to you. About traveling alone, I admire your courage but you have to understand that some countries are really hard to visit all alone as a westerner-especially if you are a woman. Its not that you can't do it-you can-its just not a good idea and sometimes nearly impossible. For example, in many muslim countries, women cannot enter mosques at all and certain relegious sites at all. This rule changes if you are in a group through a travel agency. The culture difference is huge and it really hard to get a grip on that unless you experience it first hand. Anyways, there a lot of countries in between the UK and indonesia that you can visit and photograph. Iraq is just not one of those at this point in time. good luck on all of your travels and you are really fortunate to have such an oppurtunity.
Are you really serious? try Afghanistan as well while you are out that way.
Please make better use of the news programnes then maybe you will learn a little wisdom.