Iran - Andrew Burke [322]
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DUAL-PRICING
First, we’d like to applaud the Ministry of Culture & Islamic Guidance for abolishing the practice of charging foreigners 10 times the Iranian price to see historical monuments and museums. Entry fees are now the same for everyone, except at a few privately run places that don’t receive government funding, such as Vank Cathedral in Esfahan and Bagh-e Eram (Garden of Paradise) in Shiraz.
However, as we went to press officially sanctioned dual-pricing was still happening…just. The practice of charging foreigners 30% to 50% more than Iranians for the same hotel room looks like it might finally be coming to an end. In early 2008 the government tourism organisation ordered all hotels to use one rate for all – a policy called yeksansazi. Not surprisingly, hoteliers were not happy about this new directive, and a months-long argument ensued while some hotels obeyed and others did not. The outcome remains unclear. The most logical conclusion would be a single price that sits between the old Iranian and foreign prices.
What does this mean for you? Well, the hotel prices listed in this guide will be indicative more than literal, with rampant inflation also playing its part.
In the unlikely event that the hoteliers win and dual-pricing continues, it’s worth keeping it all in perspective. A small but growing number of hotels do charge the same rates for everyone, and elsewhere you’ll find the vast majority of transactions will be perfectly fair. Indeed, there’s a good chance you’ll be humbled by someone for whom IR20,000 is a fortune insisting on paying your share of a meal.
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While banks usually open at 7.30am, most will not change money until the day’s rates have been faxed through from Tehran between 9am and 10am.
Cash
Although there are coins for IR1, IR2, IR5, IR10, IR20, IR50, IR100, IR250 and IR500, only the latter four denominations are at all common. Indeed, so rare are IR1 coins (no longer minted) that they are considered lucky despite being utterly worthless. There are notes for IR100 (rare), IR200 (rare), IR500, IR1000 (two varieties), IR2000 (two varieties), IR5000 (two varieties), IR10,000, IR20,000 and, since March 2007, a IR50,000 note bearing the three-elipse nuclear symbol. The red-coloured IR20,000 and IR50,000 notes look confusingly similar. Hang on to your filthy IR500 and IR1000 notes to pay shared taxi fares.
Most of the time no-one seems to care what state rial notes are in, then out of the blue someone will reject one on the grounds that it has a tiny tear or is too grubby. Note that this tolerance doesn’t apply to foreign currencies, which need to be clean and without any tears whatsoever. If they’re not falling apart, Iranian banknotes are easy to read as the numbers and names are printed in Farsi and English. However, coins are only marked in Farsi.
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SHOW ME THE MONEY
So you’ve been robbed, lost your wallet, maybe bought one too many carpets and you’re out of cash. Don’t despair. What is described here is definitely not something to build into your travel plan, but if you need money sent from abroad, this system should work – assuming sanctions haven’t cut off Iranian banks entirely.
Go to the nearest Bank Melli (BMI) central branch, preferably in Tehran where Mr Abdollahi at counter 13 speaks English and has helped many travellers out of such situations.
Find an English speaker, insh’Allah, outline what you want to do and give them your local contact details.
Get the Swift identification