On Tuesday, Oct. 12 Iranian officials confirmed they had arrested two Germans for working as journalists. In Iran on tourist visas, the two were caught interviewing the son of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning on adultery charges. According to Iranian officials, the Germans had entered Iran as visitors and held no documentation to prove they were journalists.
Iran claims the two were working on a report about the woman and also accused them of having connections with anti-revolutionary groups. German officials are not releasing the names of the two arrested or the newspaper they worked for as efforts are being made to have them released.
Traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran
Obtaining an entrance visa for Iran can be a difficult and lengthy process that involves many stages. Travelers must first contact a travel agent who will make initial arrangements with U.S. agencies. Once approved, a travel agent will provide visa applicants with an authorization number that must be sent along with a completed form, valid passport, one passport-sized photo, and a $104 USD fee to the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, D.C. Female visa applicants are asked wear a hijab, or head scarf, in their photographs to respect Islamic dress code. Visa applicants must also send $20 USD for return shipping costs. Since the U.S. has no diplomatic ties to Iran, American travelers are required to make their request through the Embassy of Pakistan for Iranian visas. For more information and visa application forms visit the Embassy of Pakistan website at www.daftar.org.
Andrew King
