Veganism in Iran

You will not find much hoo-ha about veganism in Iran, but in recent years, there have been some good developments by the vegan community and by some artists to spread information about the vegan agenda. Iranian traditional medicine advises using vegetable-based diets when ill, so overall people are willing to hear your arguments about health and to accept them.

The staples of Iranian cuisine are rice, bread and vegetables. Depending on where you are travelling, you may find it still is the case today in the countryside, with many dishes relying on lentils, beans, eggplants, nuts, dried fruits and greens. Meat, especially in the past, was consumed sparingly, though today you may find meat in most of the dishes offered in restaurants. On traditional menus, you will be able to find many options that are vegan by default such as salads, falafel, soups and pickles etc. Trying to get some dishes veganized may be difficult since restaurant staff are not usually fluent in English. Don’t forget to take along our VEGAN WORDS page.

You will love the vegan street foods and desserts (LOCAL FOODS page) and the juice kiosks squeezing a variety of fresh fruit.

Shopping in the supermarket is relatively easy since many labels are written in English and Persian (see LOCAL BRANDS page), but you will find street markets selling fruits and produce at every street corner. Iranians go shopping for their vegetables every day and even for each meal, and you will be delighted by the choice and the freshness of the products on offer.