FROM IRAN TO PAKISTAN OR TURKMENISTAN

[marianaamc]

Hello.
I'm planning my first trip to central asia, I'm Portuguese.
I'm thinking about going from Portugal to Southeast Asia overland, but I'm really indecisive on what to do after Iran. My plan was always to go through Turkmenistan with a transit visa that I would arrange once I got to Tehran with delivery in Mashhad. Due to recent reports of failures doing this though I'm really worried about this route. I would have to arrange and pay for the Uzbekistan visa before and I could end up not even going there because of the Turk transit visa denial. The problem is mostly the uncertain and budget.
I started to look into the possibility to go through Pakistan, but as I understand I could not decide that in Iran and I had to arrange it in my home country. Also there are some security concerns making me nervous. I would want to then go to China from Pakistan if I decided on this route.

Should I gamble with the idea of getting the Turkmenistan visa at Iran, or just skip that route and go through the certain but maybe unsafe option of Pakistan?

Thank you

[steven]

You seem to know what you are doing. The choice is yours, we cannot decide for you.

I listed your options in case of refusal here, including prevention, i.e., apply earlier, then you can still take a boat to Kazakhstan or a plane to Tashkent or Almaty and enter Uzbekistan from there.

[HomeIsWhereTheCarIs]

Pakistan is not as unsafe as we thought beforehand. Beautiful country!