Saudi Arabia to lift Iran travel ban, direct flights to be established soon

Negotiations are reportedly underway between Saudi Arabia and Iran for lifting a travel ban and resuming direct flights to and from the country, according to the Iranian Airline and Tourist Service Offices Syndicate.

Hormtallah Rafiei, the syndicate’s chairman, told the Iranian ISNA news agency that a number of "fruitful meetings" have been held on the resumption of travel between the two regional powers, in the aftermath of a landmark China-brokered decision to re-establish diplomatic ties.

He stated that "preliminary negotiations and agreements" have been carried out to conduct these flights between Iranian and Saudi cities, which includes the Dammam route to Mashhad and Tehran, indicating that travel could be take place soon.

Rafiei also added that travel between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been a "demand" of the Iranian private sector, which was negatively impacted by the severance of ties between Riyadh and Tehran seven years ago.

He said that the rapprochement with Saudi Arabia will lead to the growth of the tourism sector in the country, stating that Riyadh is "very serious" about the issue.

The chairman also expects that the Saudi-Iranian détente will pave the way for increased relations with other Arab nations, who reduced their level of links to Tehran following the rupture of ties in 2016.

Iran and Saudi Arabia ceased diplomatic ties following the execution of prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr seven years ago, which triggered a number of attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions - one in a series of flashpoints between the long-time foes.

Alireza Enayati, an Iranian assistant foreign minister, also seemingly confirmed that flights between Iran and Saudi Arabia are set to resume.

Enayati expects that these flights could take place after the next Hajj season, saying that it requires holding working sessions between the various concerned agencies in the two countries.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are currently in the middle of re-establishing their diplomatic relations. An Iranian delegation landed in Riyadh earlier this week with the aim of conducting talks on reopening Iranian diplomatic missions in Riyadh and Jeddah, respectively. A Saudi delegation made a similar trip earlier.