Umrah flights to Saudi Arabia suspended, confirms Iran

TEHRAN – Flights for Iranian pilgrims to Umrah in Saudi Arabia have been canceled due to ‘technical disagreements’ between the two nations, confirmed Iran Air Spokesperson Hesam Ghorbanali.

The disruption of the anticipated pilgrimage was slated to begin after a 9-year diplomatic hiatus between Riyadh and Tehran.

The National Airline of Iran (Homa) had initially unveiled plans for two daily flights for Umrah operations, to send 30, 000 Iranian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

However, Iran Air Spokesperson revealed on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic’s aircraft was unable to proceed to Saudi Arabia and Jeddah Airport due to the non-issuance of necessary permits.

Moreover, according to Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, the Minister of Culture, the delay and subsequent cancellation were attributed to a “technical disagreement” between Iran and Saudi Arabia airlines. He reassured the public that the issue is “not serious.”

Travel plans for Iranian pilgrims were originally scheduled from January 3 through 11 airports in the country, as outlined by the authorities of the Islamic Republic.

Umrah, a special journey for Iranians, stopped in 2015 because of problems between Iran and Saudi Arabia. About six million Iranians have been waiting for it to start again.

Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, the Minister of Culture had promised that before summer 2024, around 400, 000 people would get to go on this journey; however, the fresh hurdle seems to have created new challenge.

As far as the details are concerned, Iran and Saudi Arabia have a history of tension due to regional conflicts and religious differences but China mediated between the two countries and helped resolve their issue. This diplomatic thaw led to a visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Saudi Arabia, signaling a potential shift towards improved relations between the two nations.