Tehran, Sept 28, IRNA – The first flight of Iranian hajj pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia landed at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport at 13:10 local time (09:40 GMT) on Monday.

Talking to IRNA, director general of Hajj Affairs at Iran Airports Company (IAC) Manouchehr Sepasi had reiterated that the Iranian pilgrims return flights will start today and continue until Oct 17.

Sepasi noted that some 64,100 Iranians have made the pilgrimage trip to perform Hajj.

Expressing regret over the fatal incident in Mina, he offered condolences to the Iranian government and the families of the killed pilgrims.

'We are waiting for the permits of Iranian government and Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization to return home the bodies of the Iranian pilgrims killed during a rush in the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mina.'

The death toll of the Iranian pilgrims reached 169 on Monday.

By IRNA