Most has already been said. I just wanted to add a few observations:

- Iran is very safe, I was never concerned about the amount of cash we were carrying. If you do need some extra peace of mind, a number of Iranian banks offer "tourist credit cards". Just step into a bank, open an account, deposit your cash and you receive a card that works everywhere in Iran

- If you did not bring enough money it is still possible to get money (Dollars or Rial) with a credit card or a Paypal account. Look for the larger money exchange offices and ask around. They will not be able to help you officially, but they will tell you where to go (I got a nice glossy flyer with an address and a map). You'll end up in some anonymous apartment building with a flat that is filled with computers that have a permanent VPN connection with the outside world. Make your Visa/Paypal payment online and walk out with your cash. Commissions are high though, up to 10%.

- prices for fuel are the same for foreigners as for Iranians, at least in all the places we fueled up (around 10 eurocents per litre if I recall correctly). Most fuel stations have permanent attendants so no need to worry about "fuel cards".

- as mentioned above, all prices and price discussions are in Toman, not Rial. If it says 50000 that's Toman and means 500000 Rial.

as to how much money you will need, that's really hard to say. It will vary depending on your needs. (Hotel) Accomodation is rather expensive, especially in the more touristy places like Tehran, Esfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, ... But most cities also have a nice park where camping is allowed (and free), often with toilets and shower facilities (Tabriz has a really -nice one, with a security guard). Iranians love to camp, so wild camping is a pretty good option as well. On top of that, especially in less touristy areas we got so many invitations to stay at people's homes we stayed in a hotel only once and spent the rest of our time camping or staying with the most hospitable people you can imagine.

Thanks for the tips, especially with that card, I will check in Tabriz as it will be my first stop I think. About the accomodation, you say it's expensive but it cannot be more than 20 eur for a single room, right. That's what I am paying in Turkey.

Thanks!

Melli Bank is one of the banks that offer "Tourist Cards". Although I've been told not all offices issue them.
http://bmi.ir/En/BMIServicesShow.aspx?sid=256

As I said, we never felt the need to get a card ourselves, we just carried the cash.

Could you please provide the location's name or maybe address/gps?

Currently I am in the process of planning an overland trip starting in March '17.

Thank you.

Tabriz Camp Site is here: https://goo.gl/maps/pbuN7gy5Yu92

Addresses in Iran aren't like what you're used to. Most of the time they don't really use street names and house numbers to give address info. At least not in the large cities. In stead they tell you which district and off which main road you need to be and then describe how to get from there to your destination.

Your Google Maps Waypoint will help me a lot. Thanks for sharing the Info.

Wolfgang

Hi all, I would like to add just one point regarding accommodation after 1 week in Iran, I plan to stay about a month:

Hotels are crazy expensive and bad in Iran compared with other countries, food is very cheap (3-6 euros for a meal with drink in a restaurant) but accommodation is another story:

- There are loads of guest houses which have very different prices, I saw rooms for 9 euros from 50 (I think the just say the first figure they have in mind and wait your reaction), most of them with shared bathroom and really dirty places.

- Hotels can go from 20 to 100 euros, most 3* can range from 30 to 60 euros but it also depends on how you negotiate the price. In some hotels they offered me to pay in dollars, but when I asked the price in rials was like almost double and they didn't understand the rate they were using was not accurate at all. Conclusion, pay in the currency is cheaper!

- This may be obvious but for people who hasn't traveled these countries: 3* hotels are actually 1* or just pensions in terms of European standards, so a good guide is that the prices are 50% higher in Iran for 50% lower quality. This means that a single room for 20 euros in Iran is like a 10 euros or less in Europe.

I am not very picky with these things as long as the bed is clean and the toilet is decent to have a shower, but some people may not want to stay in a 30 euros hotel in Iran, so that's something to bear in mind.

In Tabriz I stayed in a 20 euros hotel (Hotel Quods) and to compare that to Europe, I stayed in 10 euros hotel that were way better on my way here from London in these 2 months.

I didn't explore the home-stays or camping yet, I plan to do it in the next cities I visit but people are Indeed very friendly and helpful but they won't ask you for money.