TEHRAN – Iran’s Qeshm Air has commenced operating a weekly service connecting Mashhad to Muscat.

The round-trip service made its debut on Thursday, IRIB reported.

The flight from Muscat to Mashhad’s Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport was scheduled at 1 p.m. local time and the return flight conducted at 2:45 p.m. The flights are to be operated every Thursday.

It adds to capacity of the same flights that are routinely being operated by Oman Air, the flagship carrier of the Sultanate, four times a week.

The number of foreign arrivals in Mashhad has been rising over the past couple of years, Gholamabbas Arbab-Khales, the head of Foreign Ministry’s Mission in East and North Iran, said earlier in June.

“The arrival of foreign tourists to Mashhad is increasing by 15-20% annually, according to [the number of] visas on arrival that are issued by this mission.”

Every day, Mashhad plays host to thousands of travelers and pilgrims who come from various Iranian cities, neighboring countries and even across the globe to visit the beautiful, massive holy shrine complex of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Imam of the Shia Muslims.

AFM/MG