The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a warning to Indian citizens regarding employment-related travel to Iran, following a rise in job scams involving criminal gangs. During its weekly briefing, the ministry highlighted that visa-free entry to Iran does not allow Indians to work in the country.
According to officials, several Indian citizens have been lured to Iran with false promises of employment or onward travel to third countries. Upon arrival, many of them have been kidnapped by criminal gangs, with ransoms demanded from their families.
“There have been a number of recent cases involving Indian citizens who have been lured to travel to Iran on false promises of employment, or with assurances that they would be sent further to third countries for employment. Upon reaching Iran, these Indian nationals have been kidnapped by criminal gangs and ransoms have been demanded from their families for securing their release,” said an MEA spokesperson during the briefing.
The ministry clarified that the visa-free facility for Indian citizens in Iran is strictly for tourism purposes only. The facility allows a stay of up to 15 days once every six months and does not permit employment under any circumstances.
“It may be noted that the Government of Iran allows visa-free entry to Indians only for tourism purposes,” the ministry stated, urging people not to trust agents or intermediaries offering fraudulent job opportunities.
Officials believe many of these incidents are part of a larger pattern involving organised criminal networks, which often work with unauthorised travel agents in India to traffic individuals under the guise of overseas employment.
The advisory noted that families of kidnapped individuals have faced distressing ransom demands, and in some cases, victims are held in undisclosed locations, making rescue operations difficult.
The MEA reiterated that Indian citizens intending to work in Iran must obtain proper emigration clearance. As of August 2025, such clearance is mandatory for all Indians seeking employment in Iran. This measure aims to protect workers from human trafficking and false job offers.
The ministry urged the public to remain alert and report any suspicious job offers or unauthorised agents to the authorities. The advisory comes amid growing concerns over international job fraud, especially in the Middle East and neighbouring regions, where unskilled and semi-skilled workers are often targeted.
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