More Saudi airlines set to fly to Iran after first flight lands on Tehran’s tarmac amid détente
A Saudi aviation official has confirmed that additional Saudi airlines will soon begin flights to Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport after the first Saudi flight landed in the Iranian capital amid diplomatic rapprochement between the two countries.
The announcement came after a high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority visited Imam Khomeini Airport City (IKAC) to finalize the details of the new flight routes, the airport complex reported on Monday.
Observers identified the visit, which had been coordinated by Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, as a crucial step in re-establishing air travel links between the two sides, which had been suspended for nearly a decade due to a diplomatic standoff.
Attending the meeting, Mahra bin Basin bin Mubarrad al-Mushri, a senior representative of the Saudi Arabian Civil Aviation Authority, emphasized that “arrangements are currently underway,” and flights by other airlines from Saudi Arabia would soon be operating to Tehran.
Saeid Chalandari, IKAC’s CEO, welcomed the Saudi delegation and highlighted the airport’s preparedness to handle the expected increase in flights.
Chalandari assured that Imam Khomeini International Airport, as part of the global air traffic network, prioritized aviation safety and security, and looked forward to enhancing cooperation with Saudi airlines to facilitate new flight routes.
The visit also included an inspection of passenger and cargo operations at the airport’s terminals 1 and Salam, where the delegation observed the facility’s operational readiness to accommodate the increasing flow of travelers.
On the evening of Saturday, May 17, Flynas, a private Saudi airline, operated a flight as part of the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
Flight XY8496 had arrived at IKAC from the Saudi port city of Jeddah, and after a brief stop, departed back to the kingdom.
The flight marked a landmark moment in restoration of operational ties between Tehran and Riyadh. It was part of an agreement between the countries to transport Iranian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
Flynas is reportedly expected to operate 224 round-trip flights by July 1, 2025, with approximately 37,000 Iranian pilgrims to be transported to Saudi Arabia. It will handle flights from the holy city of Mashhad and some routes from Tehran, while Iran Air, the Islamic Republic’s flag carrier, will manage the remaining routes.
The resumption of direct flights between Iran and Saudi Arabia came after a seven-year diplomatic hiatus, which was officially ended in February 2023.
The breakthrough, facilitated by a China-brokered agreement, was followed by former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi’s accepting an invitation to visit the kingdom.
