Editing Iran Air (section)

===Pilgrims and Hajj===
Until 2016, [[Hajj]] charter operations formed a major part of Iran Air's annual activities. Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims flew from major cities in Iran to [[Jeddah]], Saudi Arabia's air gateway to [[Mecca]], to take part in pilgrimage ceremonies. In 2016, due to [[Iran–Saudi Arabia relations#2016 Iranian ban on the Hajj|escalating tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia]], all Hajj flights from Iran were suspended indefinitely.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/29/iran-pilgrims-will-not-attend-hajj-amid-row-with-saudi-arabia |title=Iranian pilgrims won't attend hajj amid row with Saudi Arabia |website=The Guardian |agency=Reuters |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |date=30 May 2016 |access-date=6 January 2017}}</ref> These flights resumed from 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aviationiran.com/2017/07/25/86000-iranians-join-hajj-via-resumed-air-routes-to-saudi-arabia/|title=86,000 Iranians Join Hajj via Resumed Air Routes to Saudi Arabia|last=Amin|date=2017-07-25|website=Aviation Iran|access-date=2019-12-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/17/world/middleeast/hajj-mecca-saudi-arabia-iran.html|title=Iranian Pilgrims Can Participate in Hajj This Year, Saudi Arabia Says|last=Hubbard|first=Ben|date=2017-03-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-12-28|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>