Improved Services for Iranian Pilgrims After Reconciliation with Saudi Arabia

Iranian pilgrims headed to perform the evening prayer earlier this week at the Grand Mosque in Mecca using a new bus, following the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has led to improved services for this year's Hajj season. Said Mahdi, who is responsible for overseeing around 2,800 Iranians performing the pilgrimage next week, stated, "Saudi Arabia has been more cooperative in providing hotels for Iranians this year." He added, "Thank God for this improvement. With God's permission, we can provide better services for the pilgrims at the Grand Mosque." Iranian state media reported that 87,550 pilgrims out of 2.6 million performing the Hajj next week in the 2023 season are Iranian. The Al-Muzn hotel, where pilgrims from the Iranian city of Shiraz are staying, was decorated with balloons and Hajj slogans in Persian. The Hajj is a major source of income for Saudi Arabia through providing accommodation and transportation for the pilgrims, in addition to fees and gifts.