COMMON ANALYSIS
Last update: January 2025
The analysis below is based on the following EUAA COI report: Country Focus 2024, 4.6, 5.1; COI Update 2024, 3; COI Human Rights, 1.5, 2.1. Country Guidance should not be referred to as source of COI.
In case the criterion of ‘safety’ is satisfied, as a next step, it has to be established whether an applicant can safely and legally travel and gain admittance to Tehran.
The general situation and the individual circumstances of the applicant should be taken into account in this assessment.
There should be a safe route, through which the applicant can practically travel without undue difficulty, so that he or she can access the area of IPA without serious risks. In this regard, the assessment of the travel route from the airport to the city is part of the ‘safe travel’ criterion and has to be assessed carefully based on relevant COI.
Taking into consideration the generally stable security situation in Iran, the territorial control of the Iranian State over the whole territory, the low numbers of security incidents, and the availability of an international airport, the requirement of safety of travel would in general be considered met with regard to Tehran.
There should be no legal obstacles that prevent the applicant from travelling to the safe area.
Iranian law guarantees freedom on internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation and these rights are generally respected by the authorities, albeit with certain exceptions concerning released prisoners, women, and migrants. Leaving the country without completing the military service may stop individuals from returning to the country. Freedom of movement of a woman may also be restricted by her husband. A married woman requires her husband’s written consent to secure a passport or travel abroad. Single women over 18 could obtain a passport without permission, however, they still require their guardian’s consent to travel abroad. Furthermore, administrative bodies deny women access to public institutions, including airports, if they do not cover their hair.
Travel bans may be imposed on persons perceived as a threat to national security, such as former political prisoners, human rights defenders, and journalists.
Apart from the abovementioned groups, it is concluded that there are in principle no legal restrictions to travel to and within Iran, including Tehran.
The applicant should be allowed to access the safe area by the actor(s) who control it.
Every Iranian citizen has the right to return to the country, even without a passport. Iranians residing abroad who, for some reason, do not possess a valid passport and wish to return to the country, provided they left Iran legally, can re-enter the Islamic Republic of Iran using a barg-e oboor (travel permit). These permits are being issued by the Iranian embassies abroad.
According to the law, Iranian nationals are required to register their address within 20 days of changing the place of residence to access administrative and government services.
For those applicants who meet the ‘safety’ criterion, the assessment of the availability of IPA should proceed with an assessment of the requirements of safety and legality of travel and of gaining admittance.
Based on available COI, it is concluded that there are, in principle, no legal restrictions to travel or gain admittance to Tehran, albeit with certain exceptions for women and persons perceived as a threat to national security.
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