Urban tourism is an important driver of economic and social development, contributing significantly to employment generation, income growth, and improved quality of life in cities. With its diverse historical, cultural, natural, and recreational attractions, the metropolis of Tehran has considerable potential for tourism development. However, these capacities have not yet been utilized in a systematic and effective manner. This study aims to analyze tourism development in Tehran by integrating macro-level policy and managerial dimensions. The research is applied in terms of purpose and employs a descriptive–analytical survey design. The statistical population comprised 140 tourism specialists, managers, and experts, from whom 101 respondents were selected as the sample based on the Krejcie and Morgan table. Data were collected through a questionnaire, and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha, with a coefficient of 0.782. Subsequently, the internal and external factors affecting tourism development in Tehran were identified and evaluated using the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrices. The findings indicate that the final IFE score of 3.20 reflects the relative dominance of strengths over weaknesses, whereas the EFE score of 2.95 indicates that threats outweigh opportunities. Accordingly, Tehran’s strategic position in tourism development falls within the competitive (ST) quadrant. The findings suggest that pursuing strategies that capitalize on existing strengths, effectively respond to external threats, and address managerial and institutional weaknesses can contribute to the sustainable development of urban tourism in this metropolis.