AhlulBayt News Agency: The Head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization announced that the operational preparations for the Umrah Mufradah (minor Hajj pilgrimage) trips have been finalized.
Alireza Rashidian stated that with the completion of planning, contracts for accommodation and catering, and other logistical matters, the organization hopes the process of dispatching pilgrims will begin in the second half of the month of Mehr (later in October).
He made the remarks during a meeting of the organization’s directors’ council, saying that various aspects of the Umrah operation—including accommodation and catering—are underway, and the necessary preparations for dispatching pilgrims from the country have been made.
Noting that the process is currently at the technical stage of finalizing flight schedules for Umrah, he said that this technical matter is being coordinated between the Islamic Republic of Iran's airline and Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority.
The goal is to initiate the registration notification process for pilgrim groups as soon as flight slots are secured from the host country, Rashidian said.
Highlighting the importance of pilgrimage and religious travel in fostering friendship and solidarity among Muslim nations and countries, the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization added that religious affairs are exempt from sanctions—including those imposed by the UN Security Council—and should not be affected by the restrictions of illegal US sanctions.
He expressed hope that, through the cooperation of relevant parties, Saudi Arabia would—much like the resolution of flight issues at Najaf Airport in Iraq—issue the necessary technical flight permits as quickly as possible so that the program for dispatching Umrah pilgrims can proceed without interruption.
In this regard, the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization is earnestly pursuing the necessary arrangements to begin the deployments, he stated. “We hope that, through the efforts of Saudi Arabia’s ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Saudi ambassador to Iran, flight permits for Iranian Umrah pilgrims will be issued and announced promptly.”
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