Saudi Arabia Proposes Regular Direct Flights With Iran

Iran’s Transport and Urban Development Ministry announced on Sunday that the country’s Civil Aviation Organization had received a proposal from Saudi Arabia to begin three regular direct flights between the countries.

In an interview published on the ministry’s website, Transport Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash described the initiative as part of the attempt to increase cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia and Iran severed their diplomatic ties in 2016 following an attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Last month, China brokered discussions between the two countries, after which they agreed to restore their diplomatic relationship. The countries are set to reopen their embassies by May 9.

Currently, the only direct flights from Iran to Saudi Arabia are special flights for the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. According to IranAir, 40,000 Iranians flew to Mecca in 2022.

Bazrpash said that Iranian authorities would work to begin the flights as soon as possible.

“Launching flights between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in addition to hajj flights, has been taken into consideration in order to expand collaborations,” Bazrpash said.