Is the air in Tehran safe today?

No. Right now the US AQI in Tehran is 169, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors.

When is the best time to be outside in Tehran?

Sat 12:00–15:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 80. The worst hour is around Sat 18:00, at 178.

What is the main pollutant in Tehran?

Fine particles (PM2.5). It drives the index right now, at 81 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.

How does Tehran's air compare with the WHO guideline?

3.4 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 51 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM10, NO2, SO2 and CO are also forecast above their guideline levels.

How many cigarettes is a day of Tehran's air?

About 2.3 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM2.5 averages about 51 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.

Will air quality in Tehran improve this week?

Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 171, against 179 on Friday, the worst day in the forecast.

Tehran air quality

Iran · Live AQI and hourly forecast for the next 5 days · valid Fri 20:30 local time

169

Unhealthy

US AQI, mostly PM_2.5

Model estimate. Nearby measurements are shown separately.

Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors.

Next 24 hours: 79–178US AQI, highest around Sat 18:00
Best time outside: Sat 12:00–15:00US AQI about 80
PM_2.5 vs WHO guideline: 3.4×51 µg/m³ over 24 h, guideline 15
Cigarette equivalent: ≈ 2.3 a dayBerkeley Earth rule of thumb

Loading the live globe…

The live globe, centred on Tehran. Switch pollutants, drag through the next 5 days or press play. Full map →

Pollutants in Tehran right now

Pollutant	Now	Level	Next 24 h vs WHO
Fine particles PM_2.5	81 µg/m³	Unhealthy	3.4×
Coarse particles PM₁₀	82 µg/m³	Moderate	1.1×
Nitrogen dioxide NO₂	126 µg/m³	Moderate	4.3×
Ozone O₃	3.0 µg/m³	Good	0.3×
Sulphur dioxide SO₂	77 µg/m³	Good	1.4×
Carbon monoxide CO	7,211 µg/m³	Moderate	1.2×
Aerosol optical depth	0.15	Whole atmosphere · dimensionless
Desert dust	0 µg/m³	Modelled surface dust
UV index	0	Low

“Next 24 h vs WHO” compares the forecast with the World Health Organization’s 2021 guideline levels: 24-hour means of 15 µg/m³ for PM_2.5, 45 for PM₁₀, 25 for NO₂, 40 for SO₂ and 4 mg/m³ for CO, and 100 µg/m³ over 8 hours for ozone. Above 1× is above the guideline. Levels follow the US AQI, which is far less strict than the WHO, so air rated Good can still be above a guideline.

Next 48 hours

Hourly US AQI. Highest 178 around Sat 18:00, lowest 76 around Sun 14:00.

50100150

Good 0–50Moderate 51–100Sensitive 101–150Unhealthy 151–200Very unhealthy 201–300Hazardous 301+

5-day air quality forecast for Tehran

Daily range of the hourly US AQI, from lowest to highest, on a scale of 0 to 200.

Day	US AQI	At worst	Worst hour	PM_2.5 avg	UV max
Fri 13 Nov	91–179	Unhealthy	18:00	52	3 Moderate
Sat 14 Nov	79–178	Unhealthy	18:00	51	3 Moderate
Sun 15 Nov	76–173	Unhealthy	19:00	47	4 Moderate
Mon 16 Nov	80–173	Unhealthy	18:00	51	3 Moderate
Tue 17 Nov	55–171	Unhealthy	20:00	41	3 Moderate

Common questions about the air in Tehran

Is the air in Tehran safe today?
No. Right now the US AQI in Tehran is 169, which counts as unhealthy. Everyone should cut back on outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups should stay indoors.
When is the best time to be outside in Tehran?
Sat 12:00–15:00. That is the cleanest stretch in the next 24 hours, with the US AQI averaging about 80. The worst hour is around Sat 18:00, at 178.
What is the main pollutant in Tehran?
Fine particles (PM_2.5). It drives the index right now, at 81 µg/m³. Tiny particles from combustion, fires and dust that reach deep into the lungs. The main driver of AQI worldwide.
How does Tehran's air compare with the WHO guideline?
3.4 times the guideline. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 51 µg/m³, against the World Health Organization's 24-hour guideline of 15 µg/m³. PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂ and CO are also forecast above their guideline levels.
How many cigarettes is a day of Tehran's air?
About 2.3 cigarettes. Over the next 24 hours PM_2.5 averages about 51 µg/m³. By Berkeley Earth's rule of thumb, 22 µg/m³ breathed for a day is roughly one cigarette.
Will air quality in Tehran improve this week?
Tuesday looks cleanest. Its AQI peaks at 171, against 179 on Friday, the worst day in the forecast.

Air quality near Tehran

US AQI right now. Cleanest nearby: Baghdad (50); worst: Riyadh (1555). The tick on each bar is Tehran, at 169.

Baghdad 695 km W 50 Good
Kuwait City 771 km SW 793 Hazardous
Doha 1,157 km S 69 Moderate
Dubai 1,223 km S 72 Moderate
Abu Dhabi 1,282 km S 70 Moderate
Riyadh 1,301 km S 1555 Hazardous

All 162 cities →

About this forecast

Forecast from CAMS global via Open-Meteo: the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) model at about 40 km resolution (about 10 km inside Europe). Global runs update every 12 hours and European runs every 24 hours. Models smooth out street-level peaks, so busy roads and industrial sites can be worse than shown. Nearby station measurements are independent observations, not adjustments to the forecast. The point forecast uses Open-Meteo’s CAMS products, including a separate carbon monoxide product; it can differ from the globe’s global grid. The AQI rates each hour on the US EPA scale, the same way the map colors it; official daily figures average over 24 hours (8 for ozone), so they can read lower after a short peak. Readings for 35.69°N, 51.39°E, valid 2026-11-13 17:00 UTC.