Tehran: Iran has withdrawn visa-free entry for Indian citizens holding ordinary passports, ending the waiver that had been in place since February this year. The suspension, effective November 22, follows a series of cases in which Indian nationals were reportedly trafficked or kidnapped after being lured to Iran with false promises of employment or transit to other countries.

The visa waiver was introduced as part of Iran’s tourism push for visitors from more than 30 countries, including India, and allowed Indians to stay for up to 15 days once every six months, as reported by Hindustan Times. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the scheme was repeatedly misused by criminal networks working with fraudulent agents, who convinced Indians to travel visa-free for jobs that did not exi

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