Iran has halted the visits of its citizens to religious shrines in Syria following recent attacks on Lebanese Hezbollah members and increasing tensions in the region.

The head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, Abbas Hosseini, said that the cessation of sending Iranian pilgrims to Syria was for “security reasons.”

According to the Iranian ISNA agency, citing Hosseini’s statement on Iranian state television yesterday, Saturday, September 21, the government has not yet determined a condition under which complete security can be achieved for the travel and return of pilgrims.

Hosseini added, “I do not think that the matter is on the agenda at the moment.”

The Iranian official pointed out that there is a limitation in providing flights to Syria, as the Mahan Air company has only one flight to Latakia governorate in western Syria, while the main pilgrimage sites are mostly located in Damascus, its surroundings, and Aleppo, and there is currently no plan to send flights to Syria through the private sector.

The journey of Iranian pilgrims to Damascus used to occur at the rate of one flight per week from Tehran, with each flight consisting of two convoys, each containing 80 people, according to a previous statement by the Iranian Hajj and Umrah Organization official, Hamid Reza Mohammadi, on October 15, 2023.

The cost of this trip, with pilgrimage convoys lasting a week, was about 14 million Iranian Tomans (approximately $331 USD), according to Mohammadi.

100,000 visitors annually

On November 16, 2021, Iran signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian regime, stipulating the sending of 100,000 Iranian pilgrims to Syria annually.

According to the plan, presented by Iran through its ambassador to the Syrian regime government and met with approval and an official invitation from the Minister of Tourism, the two parties signed an agreement to send 100,000 pilgrims annually, with the Syrian government taking responsibility for their security and health.

The pilgrims, as per the agreement, depart for Syria by air from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, with the possibility of operating flights from other airports.

In 2015, the Syrian regime signed a memorandum of understanding with Tehran regarding the exchange of visitors and religious tourism, and the two sides announced the formation of a joint committee to provide the necessary coordination to resume sending Iranian visitors.

Religious tourism in Syria largely consists of an influx of Shia visitors, especially from Iraq and Iran. Since the beginning of the revolution, Syria, particularly Damascus, has witnessed an expansion in religious manifestations, reaching the extent of using provocative and offensive sectarian slogans and songs in the heart of the capital, Damascus.

Iranian passport holders are allowed to travel to Syria without a prior visa, and visas are granted upon arrival. Meanwhile, Iran does not impose any visa requirements on Syrian passport holders.