A Saudi airline has restarted Hajj flights for Iranian pilgrims for the first time since 2015, marking a significant step in the gradual restoration of ties between the two regional powers.
According to a Saudi civil aviation authority official, Flynas resumed flights from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport on Saturday. Additional flights from the Iranian city of Mashhad are also scheduled, enabling over 35,000 Iranian pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia.
The official clarified that these flights are strictly for Hajj purposes and not part of commercial operations. The annual Hajj pilgrimage is expected to begin in the first week of June, with pilgrims from various countries already arriving in Saudi Arabia.
The resumption of flights follows the 2023 restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia under a China-mediated agreement. The two countries had cut ties in 2016 after Saudi missions in Iran were attacked during protests against the execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
Following the diplomatic fallout, no Iranian pilgrims were permitted entry for Hajj in 2016, and subsequent travel was limited to Iranian-chartered flights only. With relations improving since 2023, bilateral engagement has increased, paving the way for renewed coordination on pilgrimage logistics.
