Iran has resumed sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Umrah after a suspension of about six months, with 18,000 people scheduled to travel in the first phase of the programme. The restart was reported by Iran's official Fars News Agency, citing the country's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation.
Akbar Rezaei, deputy head of the organisation for Hajj and Umrah affairs, said that during the initial phase one flight would depart every five days from different provinces to Saudi Arabia. Registration for Umrah was set to begin in early Shahrivar, the sixth month of Iran's Solar Hijri calendar, which starts in late August.
A large backlog of waiting pilgrims
The scale of demand is considerable. While the first phase involves 18,000 pilgrims, the organisation said around five million holders of Umrah registration vouchers are currently waiting to make the journey. In earlier periods, roughly 200,000 Iranians travelled for Umrah in under a year, and towards the end of the previous cycle more than 1,300 pilgrims a day were departing for Saudi Arabia.
The resumption reflects the steady flow of pilgrims from across the Muslim world during the 1448 AH Umrah season, which opened in the Kingdom earlier this year. Saudi Arabia has been expanding capacity and digital services to accommodate rising numbers from many countries.
A pause now lifted
Umrah traffic between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been intermittent in recent years, shaped by both logistical and wider regional factors. The latest halt lasted roughly six months before the two sides moved to restart the flow of pilgrims. The phased resumption, beginning with a single flight every five days, signals a cautious approach designed to test arrangements before scaling up.
The organisation framed the restart as the first step of a programme it hopes to widen over the coming months. How quickly that happens will depend less on demand, which is clearly enormous, than on the practical constraints of aviation capacity and financing.
Currency and flights shape the pace
Officials made clear that the expansion of the programme depends heavily on two factors: securing enough flights and obtaining the foreign currency required for the trips. Part of the cost of Umrah is tied to foreign exchange, and limits on available flights could affect the pace of future departures.
The question of how to price the pilgrimage has drawn differing views inside Iran. Economic expert Hamed Aslani argued that the foreign-currency costs should be calculated using the actual exchange rate, warning that allocating cheaper currency would shift the burden onto the government. Pilgrimage group manager Ehsan Malekzadeh took a different position, saying Hajj and Umrah should not be treated as ordinary or leisure travel, and calling on the authorities to provide foreign currency at an appropriate rate to keep prices within reach of ordinary pilgrims.
Some experts have proposed that Iran's central bank allocate a fixed share of the required foreign currency before each phase of departures and lock the rate for the duration of the relevant contracts. They suggested this could shield pilgrimage package prices from swings in the currency market, while consolidating airline and service contracts could reduce the cost per pilgrim.
What it means for pilgrims
For the millions of Iranians waiting to travel, the restart is welcome news, though the phased approach means many will need patience. Prospective pilgrims are advised to register through the official channels of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation, keep their documents and vouchers up to date, and plan finances with the understanding that package costs may shift with exchange rates. Booking early within each announced phase, and confirming flight schedules before making other arrangements, will help ensure a smoother journey once a place is allocated.