Iran - Andrew Burke [323]
Ask your saviour at home to go to a branch of the nominated bank (eg ANZ) with your full name, passport number and the Swift code, and deposit the money.
Between two and four days later, the cash should arrive at your branch in Iran.
Be warned that the charges in your home country can be high. But if you’re desperate, this is the least of your worries. Once you’re in the money again, don’t forget to pick up a decent souvenir for your saviour.
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Credit Cards
The ‘war on terror’ and the US trade embargo mean you cannot use any credit card in Iran. You cannot pay for a hotel, a plane ticket, nothing. You cannot draw cash on your credit card, despite what one German bank told a traveller we met, who then had to spend 10 traumatic days getting money sent from home. While a handful of carpet shops and travel agencies with foreign accounts will take credit cards, it’s not worth relying upon. Better to just file away the plastic and be sure to bring enough cash.
International Transfers
It should be possible to have money transferred from overseas to a bank or an individual’s account in Iran; for details, see Show Me the Money, above. Note, however, that economic sanctions might mean banking relations with some countries are cut completely, in which case transfers will become almost impossible.
Moneychangers
The quickest and easiest way to change cash is at an official money-exchange office, where the whole deal is done in seconds, unlike in most banks where half an hour is fast. Exchange shops can be found in most cities, usually signed in English.
Changing money in an exchange shop is much safer than doing so with a street moneychanger. If you do change on the street, expect to be treated like a total moron with no idea of current rates. You should demand the same rate as you’d get in the bank and expect the changer to take a IR10,000 ‘service fee’. Count the money carefully, and don’t hand over your bill until you’re sure it’s correct. If you can’t find a bank or exchange office, carpet shops, jewellers or someone in the bazaar should be able to help.
Tipping
Tipping is not a big deal in Iran. In upmarket restaurants (mainly in Tehran) a 10% gratuity might be expected – on top of the 10% service charge that’s often built into the bill. But everywhere else any money you leave will be a pleasant surprise. It’s normal to offer a small tip to anyone who guides you or opens a building that is normally closed. If your offer is initially refused, you should persist in making it three times before giving up (see Ta’arof, Click here). You’ll be relieved to hear there is no culture of ‘baksheesh’ in Iran.
Travellers Cheques
American Express. Leave home without it! Like credit cards, travellers cheques are useless in Iran. Only a couple of banks attached to international hotels in Tehran can (unofficially) change travellers cheques, but even this could change at any time so don’t rely on it.
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PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
Iran has jumped on the digital photography bandwagon as much as any other country and that’s good news for travellers. Many coffeenets have card readers so you can upload your images to the internet and/or burn them to CD or, less often, DVD. Memory cards in all but the very latest formats are available at reasonable rates in the larger cities, the widest range being in Tehran.
If you’re still using film then you’ll have no problem finding garden variety films at good prices. Higher speed films are now much harder to find, and slide film almost impossible outside Tehran, so bring all you’re likely to need. Note that airport X-ray machines are not exactly state-of-the-art so it’s worth getting the security guards to hand-check your film; they’ll usually do so if you ask (or plead) nicely.
Photographing People
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