Iran will resume sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Umrah after a six-month suspension, with 18,000 people scheduled to travel in the first phase of the programme. The resumption was reported by Iran's official Fars News Agency in mid-August 2026 and marks the return of one of the larger national streams of Umrah pilgrims.
Akbar Rezaei, deputy head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation for Hajj and Umrah affairs, said that during the initial phase one flight will depart every five days from different provinces to Saudi Arabia. Registration is due to begin in early Shahrivar, the sixth month of Iran's Solar Hijri calendar, which starts in late August.
A large backlog of pilgrims
The scale of demand is considerable. While the first phase covers 18,000 pilgrims, about five million holders of Umrah registration vouchers are currently waiting to make the journey, according to the organisation. Clearing that backlog will take time and depends heavily on logistics.
Iran has a strong recent record of Umrah travel. In previous periods, roughly 200,000 Iranians travelled for Umrah in under a year, and towards the end of last year more than 1,300 pilgrims a day were departing for Saudi Arabia. The new phased approach suggests a cautious restart rather than an immediate return to those volumes.
The resumption of Umrah follows the Hajj season earlier in 2026, when Iran sent tens of thousands of pilgrims to perform the annual pilgrimage under its agreed national quota. Umrah, which can be performed at almost any time of year outside the Hajj days, is far more flexible than Hajj, and the return of regular departures allows Iranian pilgrims to plan trips across the coming months rather than waiting for a single fixed season.
Flights and currency are the main constraints
Officials made clear that the pace of the programme will depend on two practical factors: the availability of flights and access to foreign currency. Part of the cost of Umrah is denominated in foreign currency, and limits on both flights and currency could slow future departures.
The financing question has drawn debate inside Iran. Economic expert Hamed Aslani argued that the foreign-currency cost of the pilgrimage should be calculated at the actual market exchange rate, warning that allocating cheaper currency would shift the financial burden onto the government. Ehsan Malekzadeh, a pilgrimage group manager, took a different view, saying Hajj and Umrah should not be treated as ordinary or leisure travel. He called on the government and the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation to provide foreign currency at an appropriate rate and to manage costs so that rising prices do not exclude some pilgrims.
Experts have proposed that Iran's central bank allocate a set share of the required foreign currency before each phase of departures and fix the rate for the duration of the relevant contracts. They said this could prevent swings in the currency market from being passed directly on to the cost of pilgrimage packages. The organisation could also consolidate its airline and service contracts to lower the foreign-currency cost per pilgrim and expand the number of departures in line with confirmed resources.
What it means for pilgrims
For Iranian pilgrims waiting to perform Umrah, the resumption is welcome news, but patience will be needed given the size of the backlog and the phased schedule. Those registering should follow announcements from the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation closely, keep their documentation current and be prepared for costs that may vary with exchange rates.
Pilgrims from Iran, like all international visitors, will need to complete their arrangements through Saudi Arabia's Nusuk platform, including a service package and an Umrah permit before travel. Booking early within each phase, confirming flight arrangements and budgeting for currency fluctuations will help pilgrims secure a place as capacity gradually expands.