TEHRAN- Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively engaging with its Saudi counterpart to address the matter amidst the postponement of the first Umrah pilgrimage group's scheduled departure to Saudi Arabia.

Head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Abbas Hosseini confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian had engaged in discussions with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan, emphasizing the existing agreement between the two nations regarding Umrah pilgrimage arrangements.

"We do not want to make promises to the people about the Umrah pilgrimage again and then face disappointment if the matter is delayed," Hosseini stated.

He further elaborated that Iran had completed all necessary preparations for the Umrah pilgrimage, including hotel bookings, staff deployment, food and hospitality arrangements, group categorization, and foreign currency acquisition.

Hosseini attributed the Umrah pilgrimage delay primarily to technical issues and the non-issuance of flight permits, expressing optimism that these obstacles would be resolved within a matter of days, allowing for the resumption of Umrah pilgrimages.

After an 8-year hiatus, Iranian Umrah pilgrims were set to resume flights to Saudi Arabia on December 19.