Iran Cliches and Stereotypes! True or Not? (FAQ by Travelers)

What are the craziest stereotypes that you heard about Iran?
Let us tell you if they are true or not!

1) Are Iranians Arab?

No Iranians are not Arab!
Yes, most Iranians are Muslim and yes, they live in the Middle east and yes, the name of the country is similar to Iraq (an Arab neighbor country) but Iranians are mostly Persians with a totally different history, culture, and language. Arabs account for about 2–3% of the Iranian population who mostly live in the south of Iran.

2) Is Iran safe?

Yes!
To know if Iran is a safe country or not you must first put aside everything you heard about Iran in the news. We understand it's not easy but if you plan to visit Iran its better to just forget about biased media and news and refer to TripAdvisor to read real comments of real travelers to see how they felt about Iran, We assure you that the reviews will surprise you!

3) There are strict rules regarding women hijab and the way they dress in public

There are some rules regarding hijab in Iran but they are not strict at all. Generally, as long as your hair is covered, your shirt has sleeves and your jeans or skirt cover your ankle you are free to wear what you wish in every color and any style. So, if you are coming to Iran pack your most colorful clothes!

4) Do Persian men have 4 wives at the same time?

No!
While according to old-fashioned Islamic rules men are allowed to have 4 wives under some circumstances but in Iran and according to Iranian cultures this is not acceptable at all. Even if a man tries to use this old law to his benefit and has more than 1 wife, he tries to hide it from family and friends because it is considered a huge scandal.

5) Are Iranians bad drivers?

Well, this one is somehow true!
Is not that Iranians are bad drivers but Iranian drivers tend to not follow every small driving rule in comparison to European drivers. High-speed driving and not wearing a helmet by some motorcyclists are among the things that surprise tourists.

6) Young Iranians do a lot of beauty surgeries and wear a lot of makeup?

Beauty surgeries in Iran are much cheaper in comparison to other countries and Iran has the best plastic surgeons too so do not be surprised If you see most Iranian girls got a nose job! Lip injections are also popular in Iran.
Using too much makeup was a thing before but in recent years natural faces are trending in Iran as in other countries so use of makeup has been reduced lately!