Can I drink alcohol and eat pork in Iran?
Drinking alcohol is against the law in Iran and no shops or hotels are permitted to sell it. Anyone caught in possession of alcohol faces arrest and in the case of a tourist face deportation.
Can I drink alcohol and eat pork in Iran?
So you should, however, bear in mind that bringing alcohol into Iran is strictly forbidden, so travelers cannot take advantage of their duty-free alcohol allowance when coming to Iran. Also If you bring chocolates from abroad, which are always appreciated, make sure they do not contain alcohol.
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Alcohol and Alcoholic Drinks Market in Iran
In its latest report on alcoholic drinks market in Iran the Euromonitor has reported that the alcoholic drinks market in Iran comprises only non-alcoholic beer as Islamic law forbids the consumption, manufacture and trade of alcohol in any form among Muslims. Such regulations have created very strong demand for non-alcoholic beer.
Iranian police dump confiscated beer cans in Tehran. AFP
Anti-smuggling initiatives from the Iranian government, coupled with health awareness campaigns about the consumption of cola carbonates and campaigns encouraging the drinking of non-alcoholic beer, further boosted demand in 2014. Euromonitor
People in Iran tend to drink tea, Sharbat (a cool, sweet drink known as the world’s first soft drink) or doogh (a savoury yogurt drink).
Persian Tea. Photo by Parisa Yazdanjoo, Flickr
Sharbat-e Tokhme Sharbat. Photo by Azita, Turmeric & Saffron
Doogh (Drinking Yogurt)
Alcohol free beer is also available
However, despite the religious and legal prohibition of alcohol, non-Muslim Iranians (e.g. Armenian Christians) are allowed to brew and consume alcohol in private.
Some Iranian Muslims also drink in the privacy of their own homes, so if you are offered an alcoholic drink, you can accept it, since your host also drinks.
Pork is not available. When it comes to meat most Iranians tend to eat chicken, beef or lamb, all of which are widely available.
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