Iranian Hajj Pilgrims’ Return Flights Resume
Friday was one of the busiest days in the operation to return pilgrims to the country by air, with 10 direct flights from Medina to Mashhad International Airport, according to a spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Majid Akhavan said the flights from Medina to Mashhad on Friday carried approximately 2,500 pilgrims back to Iran.
He stated that the air return operation, which had been delayed for twelve days due to the war imposed by the Israeli regime, resumed on Thursday, June 26, and is planned to conclude on July 1.
He said pilgrims will return on direct Iran Air flights from Medina Airport to Mashhad International Airport, after which they will be transported by land to their home provinces.
The spokesperson also noted that since the beginning of war, pilgrims have been returning via land through Iraq, thanks to the continuous efforts of the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization, and this process has been carried out regularly, precisely, and successfully without any issues.
Earlier, Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization said in a statement, “Following the cancellation of flights and the inability to use air transport, the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization evaluated all possible options for the safe return of pilgrims and ultimately adopted a combined air-land travel plan to facilitate their repatriation.”
Under the arranged plan—coordinated with the Saudi government—pilgrims will be flown 1,000 km from Medina to Arar Airport near the Iraqi border via Saudi airlines. They will then be transported by prearranged buses to either Najaf or Karbala, the statement noted.
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After a short rest and visiting the holy shrines in those cities, pilgrims will be transferred by buses to Iran’s borders and then onward to their hometowns, it said.
The Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization will provide all necessary facilities during the transit process in Iraq, including meals, healthcare services, and even mobile internet access for pilgrims, it added.
This year, some 86,700 Iranians took part in the Hajj pilgrimage that took place in Mecca in early June.
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