TEHRAN -- The first groups of Hajj pilgrims left Iran for Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning.
In a ceremony attended by a host of officials, the first group of pilgrims was dispatched to Saudi Arabia this morning.
Addressing the ceremony, the Head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Sadeq Husseini referred to the guidelines that Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had earlier mentioned for this year’s Hajj.
During the ceremony, the pilgrims were guided through the health and safety protocols in Saudi Arabia as the COVID-19 virus can still pose a danger to society.
A total of 39,635 Iranian pilgrims are set to take part in this year’s Hajj, departing from 17 airports across the country.
Four other flights will also leave Iran for Saudi Arabia today.
Saudi Arabia has announced that it will receive foreign pilgrims for Hajj this year after two years of suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Figures show some 5.8 million Iranians are on a waiting list for travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. They have been waiting for years for their turn.