ISLAMABAD: India has suffered another setback on the diplomatic front as Iran has announced that Indian citizens will no longer be allowed to enter the country without a visa.
According to Indian media reports, Iran has officially ended its visa-free entry facility for Indian nationals, a policy that had previously allowed Indian tourists to enter the country without prior documentation.
In a statement issued by the Iranian Ministry of Interior, it was confirmed that beginning on 22 November, all Indian citizens will be required to obtain a visa before travelling to Iran.
Until now, Indian tourists and other visitors were able to enter Iran without a visa, but this exemption has now been withdrawn completely.
The visa-free entry policy for Indians had been introduced by Iran last year, under which Indian citizens were permitted to visit every six months without a visa and stay for up to fifteen days.
This option was available exclusively to tourists, while Indians travelling for business, academic, or official reasons were always required to obtain visas under the relevant laws.
The decision to withdraw visa-free access marks a major shift, especially considering that countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam had also removed visa requirements for Indian travellers during the same period.
Now, with Iran reversing its policy, Indian visitors will once again need to follow full visa procedures before entering the country.
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