Travel safety comparison · Middle East
Iran vs Qatar: safety comparison
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Iran vs Qatar: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Qatar carries a materially lower safety risk than Iran on the composite Warnely score: 15/100 against 56/100, a gap of 41 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where Qatar scores 1/5 against Iran's 3/5. Drug law diverges sharply: Iran carries a tier-death regime against Qatar's more permissive framework.
| 🇮🇷Iran | 🇶🇦Qatar | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 56 / 100 | 15 / 100 |
| Risk tier | High Risk | Very Safe |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #142 | #27 |
| Drug law | Death penalty possible | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | death | illegal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | IRR | QAR |
Iran vs Qatar: common questions
Is Iran or Qatar safer to visit?
Qatar has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 15/100 vs 56/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Iran or Qatar safer for solo female travellers?
Iran is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Qatar is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Iran and Qatar?
Iran: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Qatar: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).