Summary:

On 15 June 2024, the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced visa waiver programs for tourists from Iran and Iraq in an effort to expand accessibility to tourists from additional countries.  

The waiver of visas for Iranian passport holders for tourist stays under 15 days follows a prior announcement by Iran to waive visa requirements for Tunisia as well as several dozen other countries. After the sudden death of Iran’s president in May 2024, Tunisian President Kais Saied visited Tehran to offer condolences, marking the first visit by a Tunisian president to Iran since 1965. 

The visa waiver for Iraqi passport holders follows a May meeting between senior officials from Tunisia and Iraq at which they reached an agreement to take steps to encourage tourism and economic exchange. 

Outlook: 

Steps to facilitate easier travel for Iraqi and Iranian tourists come as Tunisia is actively seeking to broaden its international relationships and cultivate ties outside of its typical partnerships dominated by exchange with European Union (EU) countries.  

With tourism as an important pillar of the Tunisian economy, easing travel for tourists from additional countries could attract additional revenue for the tourism industry, albeit incrementally.  

While Tunisia may be seeking to broaden its international relationships, the EU is very likely to remain Tunisia’s primary source of investment and its main trade partner despite overtures toward other countries that could be viewed as provocative toward Western partners, including with Iran, China, and Russia. 

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