Iranians head to Saudi Arabia for first umrah pilgrimage in nine years

The first group of Iranian pilgrims in nine years made its way to Saudi Arabia on Monday for Umrah, Islam’s minor pilgrimage, Iranian state media reported.

“The first group of Umrah pilgrims departed Iran for Saudi Arabia through the Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran,” state news agency IRNA reported.

They are the first Iranians to make the pilgrimage since Tehran and Riyadh agreed in a China-brokered deal last year to restore ties and reopen their respective embassies after more than nine years.

Iranians have already been allowed back for the Hajj pilgrimage last year, but Umrah had remained off-limits for them until now.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 following an attack by pro-regime protesters on its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad.

Iranian state media has said in recent months that pilgrims would be able to head to the Saudi holy city of Mecca for Umrah, but blamed technical difficulties for repeated delays.

IRNA said a total of 5,720 Iranian Umrah pilgrims were planned to head to Saudi Arabia this year.

The Saudi ambassador to Tehran, Abdullah bin Saud Alanazi, was present at the airport along with several Iranian officials to send off the first group of pilgrims Monday.

Muslims can make the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca at any time of the year, in contrast to the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam which takes place on specific dates according to the lunar calendar.