Iran Airport Smoking Areas

Tehran Imam Khomeini — Iran’s main international gateway — has traveller-reported smoking rooms airside in both boarding wings of the main terminal, plus open-air areas outside the building. The firmer rule for travellers is on vaping: e-cigarettes are banned nationwide.

For international travel through Iran, Tehran Imam Khomeini (IKA) is the airport that matters; Mehrabad (THR) handles Tehran’s domestic flights, and the regional gateways at Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ) and Isfahan (IFN) permit open-air landside smoking under the same national rule.

How Iranian Airport Smoking Works

Iran prohibits smoking in enclosed public places, with variable enforcement:

• Traveller-reported airside smoking rooms at Tehran IKA, in both boarding wings of the main terminal (not officially published)
• Open-air landside smoking is permitted at Tehran Mehrabad (THR), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ) and Isfahan (IFN) under the same national rule — none of the four publishes a designated area, and no smoking facility inside the terminal or after security is confirmed at any of them
• Outdoor areas outside the terminal entrances (landside) — the reliable fallback at every airport in this guide
• E-cigarettes and vapes are banned nationwide (sale and use) — do not bring one
• Transit passengers at IKA report using the airside rooms without exiting through immigration

The Hub

Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA). Iran’s main international gateway. Travellers consistently report enclosed smoking rooms airside in both the eastern and western boarding wings of the main terminal, plus a café and business-lounge smoking spot near passport control and a smoking room in the CIP lounge. These are traveller-reported rather than officially published, so treat signage and ground staff as the on-the-day authority; the open-air areas outside the terminal are the certain option. The separate Salam Terminal has no documented smoking room. Vaping is firmly prohibited nationwide.

Tehran Mehrabad (THR)

Tehran’s domestic airport, a few kilometres west of the city centre, handling only domestic flights since the capital’s international traffic moved to IKA in 2008. Open-air smoking outside the terminal, landside, is permitted; no smoking facility inside the terminal or after security is confirmed. See our Tehran Mehrabad Airport smoking guide.

Mashhad (MHD)

Iran’s second-largest airport, with domestic, international and pilgrimage-charter terminal buildings. Open-air smoking outside the terminals, landside, is permitted; no smoking facility inside any of the three or after security is confirmed. See our Mashhad Airport smoking guide.

Shiraz (SYZ)

Two connected terminal buildings, one domestic and one international. Open-air smoking outside either building, landside, is permitted; no smoking facility inside either terminal or after security is confirmed. See our Shiraz Airport smoking guide.

Isfahan (IFN)

Two terminal buildings, one domestic and one international; a direct Isfahan–Istanbul service resumed in August 2026. Open-air smoking outside either building, landside, is permitted; no smoking facility inside either terminal or after security is confirmed. See our Isfahan Airport smoking guide.

Tips for Smokers at Iranian Airports

• Tehran IKA’s airside smoking rooms are in the main terminal’s boarding wings — traveller-reported, so ask staff if a room isn’t where expected
• Do not bring a vape to Iran — e-cigarettes are banned nationwide
• Departing from the Salam Terminal at IKA, or from Mehrabad, Mashhad, Shiraz or Isfahan: smoke in the open air before security — no indoor or after-security facility is confirmed at any of them
• Landside, the open-air areas outside the terminal entrances are the reliable spot at every airport in this guide

Iran Airports Compared: Indoor, Outdoor & After Security