On 19 June, Russia’s Foreign Ministry rescinded its advisory against travel to six Gulf Cooperation Council states—Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia—citing the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed the previous day that suspended military operations. Moscow’s Ministry of Economic Development concurrently withdrew its recommendation that Russian tour operators halt sales to the region, a measure in place since early March 2026.

Viewed from Moscow, the decision reflects an assessment that the security situation has stabilised sufficiently. The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed hope that both Washington and Tehran would implement the ceasefire terms in good faith, and spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Russia’s own proposals for resolving the Iran crisis remain under consideration. The Kremlin expects the agreement to facilitate a long-term normalisation of the military-political environment in the Gulf, enabling the restoration of humanitarian and tourism ties.

Russian travel industry figures report that sales have resumed within hours of the announcement, though they caution that a full demand recovery is unlikely before the September high season. Artur Muradyan, vice‑president of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, estimates that demand could reach 50–60 per cent of prior-year levels by August, supported by competitive hotel prices typical of the low summer season. Several operators note that direct flights suspended during the restrictions will be reinstated, and that Gulf hubs again serve as stopover points for journeys to third countries.

The original advisory was imposed after hostilities erupted on 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering Iranian retaliation and the closure of airspace by ten regional states. The Russian tourism sector sustained sharp losses: some 60,000 travellers faced repatriation difficulties, daily industry costs for evacuation and accommodation reached 500 million roubles, and the value of tours at risk of cancellation totalled 19.67 billion roubles. Operators wrestled with a 100 per cent refund obligation while hotels and carriers often froze or deferred repayments.

The US-Iran memorandum sets timelines for lifting the US naval blockade and restoring Iranian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and commits Iran to forgo nuclear weapons, with its nuclear programme to be addressed in separate negotiations within 60 days. In Russia’s travel market, operators anticipate that pent-up demand will materialise with the onset of the cooler autumn season, though they remain alert to further diplomatic developments.