Drone flying tourist sentenced to 8 years in prison

[Christian77]

A reminder that Iran is not Tajikistan, where your illegal drone flying can be ignored for $20 or you get a simple scolding. Nor is it Kazakhstan, where one tourist I met spent a day in jail and then released with a warning for flying his drone over.... the president. Iran has tactical/political motives for arresting foreign visitors and sentencing them to prison (i.e., "hostage diplomacy").

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-60091592

A French tourist has been jailed for eight years for spying by a court in Iran, his lawyer in Paris has said. Benjamin Brière, 36, was arrested in May 2020 after flying a drone near the Iran-Turkmenistan border. France's foreign ministry called his conviction "unacceptable" and said it had "no basis in fact". A lawyer for Mr Brière, Philippe Valent, said his client had grown "more and more weak" from a hunger strike which he began in December.

[Hound_Dog]

When are people going to realise that the Iranian authorities are not to be messed with? Anyone who has been to Iran knows how paranoid they are about foreigners. It is widely known that drones are illegal and yet people like this guy disrespect the rule of law. Mess with the bull, get the horns.

[Nikopol]

Slovak ambassador years ago managed to get out couple of nationals who had great idea to paraglide over...a goddamn nuclear facility in Natanz, on same week Israel threatened to bomb it and they also took pictures from air of army units guarding it. I only heard stories or how many asses ambassador had to kiss, it still took months and country was seen in Iran as if not friendly, than simply not hostile. Some people never learn tho.

[trikolka]

When are people going to realise that the Iranian authorities are not to be messed with? (...)

yes, Iranian authorities are rather strict. When I travelled in Iran, I cycled on the old road between Natanz and Kashan. This road is pleasant by bike because there is only very little traffic. But it passes the entrance to the Natanz uranium processing centre, and between missile launcher batteries for more than 30 km. At each entrance to this area, there are police stations. I was travelling by bike with famous german panniers : of course they stopped me. The policeman eventually allowed me to pass after a phone call to its officer, but he told me very clearly the rules of the game : no GPS, no photos, no stopping in the area. I was checked 4 times in 30 km. At some point, I thought I was out of the sensitive zone because there were no more missile launchers : I took a short break and re-started towards Kashan. Less than 5 minutes later, a pasdaran pick-up passed me, asked me to stop on the side of the road. They looked at my photos, searched me to find another memory card to look at the recorded photos too. The pasdaran who carried out this last check was very professional : underestimating the pasdaran in Iran would be stupid and dangerous.

[Hugues]

Anyone knows if just having a drone in our luggage is also a problem? I'm planning to drive from Europe to SE Asia and clearly having a drone would be great. No problem for me to not use it in Iran but I don't want to get into problems for just carrying it with me.

[Koen]

Hi,
Was 3x times in Iran between 2016 - 2019 and was epic, but you to care of the rules.
Also cycled the road next to Natanz very impressive but was not stopped luckily and camped in Natanz village at the park and had amazing
dinner and talks with the guy running the restaurant in the park.

My thoughts on drone is negative, don't like it, always think of stupid vloggers with their drones.
Iran and Azerbeidzjan it's illegal to have a drone unless you have a permit. Don't know with other countries but expect illegal in Turkmenistan for sure.