Chinese tourists visiting Iran will no longer need to obtain visas, Iran's tourism organization chief Vali Teymouri said, Mehr news agency reported on Friday.

The decision is made to attract more foreign tourists to the country; however, it is a unilateral measure, i.e. Iranian tourists visiting China still need visas, according to the report.

The Mehr news did not elaborate details such as when this decision will take effect. But Iranian Ambassador to China Mohammad Keshavarzzadeh told the Global Times on Sunday that the Iranian government has taken good steps in approving lifting visa for Chinese tourists.

"It will be implemented in [the] near future. After implementation Chinese tourists can visit Iran visa-free and enjoy Iranian hospitality," Keshavarzzadeh said.

According to the embassy, a specific date is not fixed yet, and Iran will announce it as soon as it is fixed.

Iran has taken other steps to increase its revenues from tourism under US sanctions, according to the Theran Times. 

The US government has imposed entry restrictions on travelers who have Iranian entrance stamps on their passports.

Government spokesperson Ali Rabiei announced earlier this month that Iran has decided not to stamp the passports of foreign tourists to help them skip the US travel ban, according to the Theran Times.