Travel safety comparison · Middle East
UAE vs Iran: safety comparison
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UAE vs Iran: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
UAE carries a materially lower safety risk than Iran on the composite Warnely score: 16/100 against 56/100, a gap of 40 points. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where UAE scores 1/5 against Iran's 3/5. Women's-safety rating differs: UAE is Very Safe and Iran is Exercise Caution.
| 🇦🇪UAE | 🇮🇷Iran | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 16 / 100 | 56 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Very Safe | High Risk |
| 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 | #52 | #142 |
| Drug law | Death penalty possible | Death penalty possible |
| Women's safety rating | Very Safe | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | illegal | death |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | AED | IRR |
UAE vs Iran: common questions
Is UAE or Iran safer to visit?
UAE has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 16/100 vs 56/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is UAE or Iran safer for solo female travellers?
UAE is rated Very Safe for women's safety; Iran is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about UAE and Iran?
UAE: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). Iran: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).