TEHRAN (Iran News) –In an interview with Al Arabiya television channel, Alireza Enayati said a total of 90,000 Iranians will travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage this year.

He also referred to the resumption of sending Iranians to Umrah (minor Hajj) pilgrimage, saying the religious trips have restarted as a result of the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, reached in 2023.

The pilgrims are traveling between Iran and Saudi Arabia with direct flights, the envoy said.

The Umrah pilgrimage for the Iranian citizens resumed on March 22 after a nine-year hiatus.

After intensive negotiations hosted by China, Iran and Saudi Arabia clinched a deal on March 10, 2023, to restore diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions after seven years of estrangement.

The two regional heavyweights have underscored the need to respect each other’s national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of one another.