For the first time since 2015, direct flights carrying Iranian pilgrims to Mecca have resumed, marking a significant step forward in the renewed relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The development highlights the steady progress in diplomatic normalization following years of tensions.
Flynas, a Saudi budget airline, restarted its services from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport on Saturday. Additional routes from Mashhad are also planned, enabling over 35,000 Iranian pilgrims to participate in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, scheduled for early June.
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A Saudi civil aviation official clarified that the flights are strictly reserved for Hajj pilgrims and not for general commercial travel. Previously, Iranian pilgrims traveled through Iran-chartered aircraft during the pilgrimage season, reflecting the diplomatic strain that had separated the two nations for nearly a decade.
The resumption of Hajj flights follows the March 2023 agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to restore diplomatic relations, a breakthrough brokered by China. Since then, both sides have taken meaningful steps to rebuild trust, including ambassador exchanges and top-level visits such as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s trip to Riyadh in late 2023.
The move is expected to ease the pilgrimage process for thousands of Iranian Muslims and stands as a symbolic yet practical gesture of reconciliation. It also reinforces a broader regional shift toward dialogue and cooperation between former rivals.
