AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iran will dispatch Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia from 11 airports across the country starting on Monday, an official said.
Mohammad-Hossein Ajilian, who is in charge of Hajj operations in Iran Airports Company, said on Saturday that 11 flights from as many airports are scheduled to fly Iranians to Saudi Arabia to make Umrah pilgrimage, IRNA reported.
Mashhad's international airport will conduct the first flight on Monday and airports in other major cities, including Zahedan, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Yazd, Kerman, Bandar Abbas, Sari, Isfahan, and Shiraz, will charter one flight each on the following days.
The airport in Mashahd will operate the last flight to Saudi Arabia on May 2.
Ajilian noted that a total of 5,720 pilgrims are expected to travel to Saudi Arabia this year.
Iranian officials had hoped that the first Umrah pilgrims would leave for Saudi Arabia on December 19, following an agreement between Tehran and Riyadh to resume the Umrah pilgrimage for Iranians after eight years.
However, that flight and subsequent ones were cancelled as Saudi authorities did not provide final permits for Iranian planes to enter Saudi Arabia.
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