Saudi Carrier Resumes Hajj Flights for Iranian Pilgrims After a Decade, Signaling Diplomatic Breakthrough
In a landmark development symbolizing warming ties between two regional powerhouses, a Saudi airline has resumed transporting Iranian pilgrims to the kingdom for Hajj for the first time in a decade. The move reflects the growing diplomatic reconciliation between Riyadh and Tehran after years of strained relations.
According to Saudi officials, the flights—strictly designated for Hajj purposes and not for commercial travel—are part of coordinated efforts to facilitate the arrival of more than 35,000 Iranian pilgrims. Additional flights have also been scheduled from Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, to accommodate the influx ahead of the Hajj, which is expected to begin in the first week of June.
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This significant gesture follows the historic normalization agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia brokered by China in March 2023, ending a seven-year diplomatic freeze.
Tensions between the two nations reached a peak in 2016 when Saudi Arabia severed ties after its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad were attacked by protesters. The demonstrations erupted in response to Riyadh’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, a move that infuriated many in Iran.
That year, Iranian citizens were barred from attending the Hajj, marking a major disruption in one of Islam’s most sacred traditions. Although Iranian pilgrims were later allowed to participate, they were only able to travel through limited chartered Iranian flights during the Hajj season.
The resumption of direct Saudi-operated Hajj flights marks not only logistical convenience for thousands of pilgrims but also a broader political thaw between the two Gulf rivals. Since the 2023 détente, both countries have significantly stepped up diplomatic dialogue and cooperation on regional issues.
