Iran, Mashhad and Qom are sustaining important streams of international tourism through two segments that do not depend entirely on conventional holiday seasons: medical travel and religious tourism. Foreign patients continue travelling to Iran for treatments ranging from ophthalmology and surgery to fertility care and cosmetic procedures, while pilgrims arrive in Mashhad and Qom to visit the Imam Reza Shrine and Fatima Masumeh Shrine. Iranian officials have reported around one million health tourists entering the country during the previous year, while more than 120,000 foreign pilgrims from 98 countries visited the Imam Reza Shrine between March 2024 and March 2025.
Key Stats: Iran Medical and Religious Tourism
- Around 1 million: Health tourists reported entering Iran during the previous year.
- 140 countries: Foreign patient nationalities reported by Iranian medical centres.
- 120,000+: Foreign pilgrims recorded at Imam Reza Shrine between March 2024 and March 2025.
- 98 countries: Countries represented among those foreign pilgrims.
- 3.5-4 million: Annual foreign religious tourists estimated by Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.
- Mashhad: Major Iranian destination for international medical travel.
- Mashhad and Qom: Principal pilgrimage centres for international religious visitors.
Medical Tourism Gives Iran a High-Value Visitor Stream
Medical tourism has become an important part of Iran’s international visitor economy because patients frequently remain in the country longer than conventional holidaymakers.
A medical traveller may need several days or weeks for consultations, procedures, recovery and follow-up appointments. Companions can also stay alongside patients, generating additional demand for hotels, restaurants, local transport and other tourism services.
Iran has developed particular expertise in several medical fields, including ophthalmology, surgery, fertility treatment and cosmetic procedures.
The combination of medical facilities and comparatively lower treatment costs has helped attract patients from neighbouring countries and other international markets.
Mashhad Emerges as a Medical Tourism Centre
Mashhad is particularly important to Iran’s health tourism network.
The city is already one of the country’s biggest religious destinations because of the Imam Reza Shrine. That existing visitor infrastructure, including hotels, restaurants, transport services and international connections, also provides a foundation for medical tourism.
A 2026 mapping study of Iran’s medical tourism ecosystem identified Mashhad among the country’s principal centres for international patients.
That creates an unusual tourism combination: visitors can travel to the same city for healthcare, pilgrimage and cultural experiences.
Neighbouring Markets Keep Medical Travel Moving
Geography is another advantage.
Iran shares borders with several countries, giving patients from nearby markets relatively straightforward access compared with long-haul medical destinations.
Visitors from Iraq, Azerbaijan, Oman and Central Asian countries have been important markets for Iranian healthcare providers, particularly for specialist treatments.
For many patients, the journey is not structured like a conventional holiday. Hospitals, accommodation and transport form the core of the itinerary.
However, accompanying family members can turn the trip into a broader tourism experience.
Pilgrimage Keeps Mashhad Busy
Now to the other major tourism engine: pilgrimage.
Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza Shrine, one of the most important religious destinations in Iran.
The shrine attracts visitors from Iran and abroad throughout the year, helping Mashhad maintain a tourism economy beyond conventional peak holiday periods.
More than 120,000 foreign pilgrims from 98 countries were reported to have visited the shrine between March 2024 and March 2025.
The international visitor base includes travellers from Muslim-majority countries as well as other markets with established religious connections to Iran.
Qom Adds Another Major Religious Route
Qom provides the second major pillar of Iran’s pilgrimage tourism network.
The city is home to the Fatima Masumeh Shrine, an important destination for Shia Muslims.
Qom’s proximity to Tehran makes it relatively easy to incorporate into broader itineraries.
International visitors can combine a pilgrimage to the shrine with time in Tehran before travelling onwards to other cultural destinations.
The city also functions as an important centre for Islamic scholarship, adding an educational dimension to religious travel.
Religious Tourism Creates Year-Round Demand
One of the most important benefits of pilgrimage tourism is its ability to spread visitor demand across the calendar.
Unlike a traditional beach or summer destination, religious sites can attract visitors throughout the year.
Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has estimated that 3.5 million to 4 million foreign religious tourists visit the country annually.
That makes religious tourism a significant part of the country’s international visitor economy.
Major religious dates can create particularly strong demand, with hotels, transport providers, restaurants and local businesses benefiting from increased visitor flows.
Medical and Religious Tourism Work Together
Iran’s tourism structure becomes particularly interesting when these two segments overlap.
Mashhad is the clearest example.
A medical visitor may travel to the city for treatment while relatives explore religious and cultural attractions. Similarly, a pilgrim may combine a religious journey with healthcare, shopping or sightseeing.
That creates opportunities for tourism operators to build multi-purpose itineraries rather than selling individual experiences.
It also encourages visitors to stay longer.
Tehran Provides the International Gateway
Tehran remains the country’s principal international gateway and an important medical tourism centre in its own right.
The capital offers major hospitals, specialist healthcare facilities, hotels, museums and cultural attractions.
Travellers can combine medical appointments with visits to destinations such as the Golestan Palace, Grand Bazaar and National Museum of Iran, depending on their itinerary and travel conditions.
From Tehran, visitors can continue towards Qom, Isfahan, Shiraz or Mashhad.
Beyond Treatment and Pilgrimage
Iran’s wider tourism offering gives medical and religious visitors opportunities to extend their trips.
Isfahan is known for Islamic architecture and historic bridges, while Shiraz provides access to Persian heritage and nearby archaeological sites such as Persepolis.
The combination of medical care or pilgrimage with cultural tourism can therefore increase the overall length and value of an international visit.
Travel Guide: Medical and Religious Tourism in Iran
Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran is the country’s principal international aviation gateway. Mashhad and Shiraz also have international airports serving regional and selected international routes.
The Iranian rial (IRR) is the official currency.
Medical travellers should arrange treatment directly with accredited healthcare providers and confirm documentation, costs, insurance and follow-up requirements before travelling.
Pilgrims should also check current entry rules and religious-site arrangements before departure.
Because international conditions can change quickly, travellers should verify current government travel advice and transport availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many health tourists reportedly visit Iran?
Iranian officials have reported approximately one million health tourists entering the country during the previous year.
2. Which Iranian cities are most important for pilgrimage tourism?
Mashhad and Qom are the country’s leading pilgrimage destinations, centred around the Imam Reza and Fatima Masumeh shrines.
3. Why is medical tourism important to Iran?
Medical visitors can stay longer than conventional tourists and may travel with companions, creating demand for accommodation, transport, restaurants and other tourism services.
Timeline and Events
- March 2024-March 2025: More than 120,000 foreign pilgrims from 98 countries were reported at the Imam Reza Shrine.
- 2025: Iran continued positioning medical and religious travel as important components of its international tourism economy.
- 2026: Mashhad remained a leading centre in mapping and analysis of Iran’s medical tourism network.
- 2026 onwards: Medical treatment and pilgrimage continue supporting year-round international visitor flows.
Conclusion
Iran’s tourism economy is being sustained by two visitor segments that can operate throughout the year: medical travel and pilgrimage. Mashhad sits at the centre of both, combining a major healthcare market with the internationally important Imam Reza Shrine, while Qom strengthens the religious tourism network through the Fatima Masumeh Shrine. With visitors arriving from neighbouring countries and wider international markets, these specialised forms of travel are helping maintain accommodation, transport, hospitality and cultural activity beyond traditional tourism seasons.
