Hyderabad, April 22 -- In the latest indication of improving relations, the first batch of Iranian pilgrims has departed for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to perform Umrah after a nine-year hiatus.

On Monday morning, April 22, the official seeing-off ceremony for pilgrims took place at Imam Khomeini International Airport, in the presence of Saudi Ambassador to Iran Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi.

In the first batch, 85 pilgrims and 13 volunteer medical professionals from the Iranian Red Crescent departed to Saudi Arabia.

Mohammad Hossein Ajilian, head of the Haj Affairs Unit at the Iranian Airports Company, said in a statement that 5,720 pilgrims will travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah this year.

He added that the last return flig...