Dress code and conduct rules in Esfahan: what the UK and Canada say

Esfahan is known for Meidan Emam, which UNESCO describes as one of the largest city squares in the world, 560 meters long and 160 meters wide, built by the Safavid shah Abbas I in the early 17th century and bordered by two mosques and a palace pavilion. A visit to any such place in Iran would take place under dress and conduct rules that the UK and Canada both describe as strictly enforced, with penalties that can include arrest. This page sets out those rules as the two governments describe them. It is a reference, not encouragement to travel: the UK and Canada advise against all travel to Iran, and the decision guide for Tehran applies to the whole country.

The information comes from the UK's Iran safety and entry pages, updated on 13 August 2026, and Canada's Iran page, updated on 23 July 2026, both read on 4 October 2026. The rules apply across Iran, not only in Esfahan, and they can change or be enforced differently without notice.

Read the full text on the UK government's Iran safety and security page.

The UK says that in public places women must cover their heads with a headscarf, wear trousers or a floor-length skirt and wear a long-sleeved tunic or coat that reaches to mid-thigh or knee. Men should wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts in public. Canada says women must wear a headscarf and a long jacket that covers the arms and upper legs while in public, and that the dress code is strictly enforced. Both treat these as legal requirements, not customs.

There are extra rules at religious sites. The UK says women may be asked to put on a chador, a garment that covers the whole body except the face, before entering, and that there are extra dress requirements at religious sites generally. The UK adds that the Iranian authorities have arrested, detained and in some cases committed serious acts of violence against women and girls for not properly following the dress codes, and that enforcement crackdowns can lead to large-scale arrests across the country at any time. For visa photos, the UK says women and girls aged 10 or over should wear a headscarf.

For travelers, the practical points are straightforward and serious. Dress rules apply from the moment you arrive, including at the airport. They apply in cars. Checking what is acceptable on the day with a guide, hotel or tour operator is not a substitute for knowing the legal minimum. Neither government gives a way of avoiding the rules as a foreigner.

Esfahan's best-known site mixes religion and public life. UNESCO says Meidan Emam is a public urban square in the center of the city, bordered by two-storey arcades and anchored by the Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque on the east, the Ali Qapu pavilion on the west, the Qeyssariyeh portico to the north and the Royal Mosque on the south side, which is angled to face Mecca. The shops in the arcades and the square itself are public space, so the general dress code applies throughout, and the mosques add the extra requirements the UK describes for religious sites, including the possibility of being asked to wear a chador. Neither government gives opening hours, fees or visiting rules for individual buildings, so this guide quotes none.

The UK says women should take extra care, particularly when traveling alone or with friends of the opposite sex, and that women face a range of issues, from enforced hijab wearing to harassment, because there are relatively few foreign women in Iran. It advises respecting local customs and avoiding isolated areas. Canada says women may be subject to some forms of harassment and verbal abuse, that gender-based violence is common in Iran and that local authorities consider domestic violence a private matter. It also says women and children require the permission of the husband, or an Iranian male head of household, to obtain a passport or travel document and to leave the country.

For travelers who are married to, related to or traveling with an Iranian, Canada says marriage between an Iranian and a foreigner is subject to Islamic law and that an Iranian husband may prevent his wife and children from leaving Iran, even if they hold foreign nationality. Both governments recommend legal advice before traveling in any family dispute.

The UK says adultery and sex outside marriage are illegal under Iranian law and carry the death penalty, that relationships between non-Muslim men and Muslim women are illegal, although few Westerners have been prosecuted, and that a Muslim woman found in a relationship with a non-Muslim man may be sentenced to be whipped. It says unmarried partners and friends of the opposite sex traveling together should be extremely cautious, and that Iranian hotel managers could insist on seeing a marriage certificate before allowing couples to share a room.

On LGBT+ travelers, the UK says same-sex relationships are illegal under Iranian law and can carry the death penalty. Canada says Iranian law criminalizes sexual acts and relationships between persons of the same sex, that 2SLGBTQI+ persons could face corporal punishment, imprisonment or the death penalty and that they should carefully consider the risks of traveling to Iran. Neither page offers a safe way to avoid these laws.

The UK says it is illegal to import, sell, manufacture or drink alcohol in Iran on religious grounds, with exceptions only for certain recognised religious minorities, and that drinking alcohol in public is not allowed, with no exceptions. It says penalties can be severe and warns that there have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in Iran, that even small amounts can kill and that methanol cannot be identified by taste or smell. It advises urgent medical attention if signs of methanol poisoning appear.

On drugs, the UK says it is illegal to import, sell, manufacture or consume drugs in Iran, that penalties are severe and enforced and that many people convicted of drug offences, including foreign nationals, have been executed. Canada lists pork products among items it is prohibited to import and consume. During Ramadan, the UK says not to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public in the daytime, including in your car, and notes that hotels and restaurants serving food in fasting hours may separate you from Islamic guests with screens. The UK notes that the dates of Ramadan vary by year and country, so check them with an official source.

The UK says photography near military and other government installations is strictly prohibited and that you can be detained and charged under national security laws. It says foreign nationals have been arrested for possessing photographic equipment near sensitive sites, that using a laptop or other electronic equipment in public can be misinterpreted and that it is better to ask before taking photographs of people. Canada lists government buildings, security forces, military and police installations and vehicles, and public buildings such as airports, ports, bridges, embassies and power plants among prohibited subjects, and says to always ask permission before photographing local residents. The guide to money, phones and rules in Tehran covers devices in more detail.

The UK says you must carry copies of your passport photo page and visa for identification and have a copy of the emergency contact details. Canada says to carry a photocopy of the passport identification page and leave one with a relative. Both say plainclothes individuals may pose as police, and the UK advises asking to see ID and requesting a uniformed officer or marked patrol car before handing over documents or cash.

The first mistake is treating the dress code as a recommendation. The second is assuming a visit to a religious site is covered by the same rules as the street, when extra requirements apply. The third is assuming hotels or taxis are private spaces. The fourth is drinking alcohol of unknown origin: methanol is a real risk. The fifth is photographing something that looks like a tourist view but is a government or military site.

The most important mistake is reading conduct rules as a checklist that makes the trip safe. The UK says British nationals face a very high risk of arrest and detention regardless of conduct, and Canada says Canadians are likely to face increased scrutiny. Read the advice for Iran, compare travel insurance terms, and see the guide to insurance and consular limits in Iran before any decision. Knowing the rules does not make a trip safe, and this page does not suggest otherwise.