JEDDAH: Iran has canceled all flights to Saudi Arabia during Ramadan to minimize the spread of swine flu, an aviation official was quoted as saying by Jumhuri Eslami newspaper on Monday.“In order to prevent the spread of swine flu, there will be no flights from Iran to Saudi Arabia during the holy month of Ramadan,” Reza Jafarzadeh, spokesman for the Iranian civil aviation organization, said.
Iran will bring back all its citizens currently in Saudi Arabia before the start of Ramadan, he said.
Iran has banned Umrah during Ramadan to control swine flu. The country has so far reported over 130 cases of the H1N1 flu strain, the majority of them among returning pilgrims.
A senior Saudi Haj official said the Iranian decision would not have an impact on the Ramadan Umrah season, which begins in about 10 days.
“The financial losses expected to result from the absence of Iranians during Ramadan Umrah may not exceed 5 percent on the sectors providing services to visitors and pilgrims in Makkah,” Chairman of the National Haj Committee Saad Al-Qurashi said.....more
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