In a significant step towards improving diplomatic ties, the first group of Iranian pilgrims has embarked on a journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform Umrah after a hiatus of nine years.

Amidst a ceremonious send-off at Imam Khomeini International Airport on Monday morning, 85 pilgrims along with 13 volunteer medical professionals bid farewell as they embarked on their spiritual journey. The event was graced by the presence of the Saudi Ambassador to Iran, Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi, signifying a thaw in relations between the two nations.

 آغاز اعزام ایرانی‌ها به عمره پس از ۹ سال

مراسم بدرقه نخستین کاروان‌های زائران ایرانی پس از وقفه ۹ ساله با حضور نماینده ولی فقیه در حج و سفیر عربستان در ایران در فرودگاه امام خمینی (ره) انجام شد. pic.twitter.com/lqSRZdxWUG — باشگاه خبرنگاران تهران ( تهران پرس) (@Tehranpress4) April 22, 2024

Mohammad Hossein Ajilian, the head of the Haj Affairs Unit at the Iranian Airports Company, revealed that a total of 5,720 pilgrims are expected to undertake the Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year. All flights are facilitated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Airlines, with the last return flight scheduled for May 23.

The group is made up of 13 healthcare experts, such as physicians, nurses, and pharmacy technicians.

They are equipped with necessary medications for treating patients. — Iranian Red Crescent Society (@Iran_RCS) April 22, 2024

This development comes after a significant milestone in March 2023, when Iran and Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic ties through mediation by China. The resumption of diplomatic relations follows a period of strained relations initiated by the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad by protesters in January 2016, leading to the severance of diplomatic relations.

The halt in Umrah pilgrimages dates back to 2015, a year preceding the diplomatic fallout, although Iranians continued to perform the Haj pilgrimage during this period. Disagreements between Tehran and Riyadh had kept around six million Iranian pilgrims awaiting the resumption of Umrah pilgrimages since 2015.

In December 2023, Saudi Arabia lifted restrictions on Iranians performing Umrah. However, technical challenges delayed the commencement of flights, as reported by Iranian media. Nonetheless, the departure of the first batch of pilgrims signals a hopeful beginning in bilateral relations and paves the way for religious exchanges between the two nations after years of estrangement.