Financial Tribune - The first group of Iranian hajj pilgrims returned home on Friday, leaving Medina in Saudi Arabia for Sari International Airport located in Sari, the capital of Iran's northern Mazandaran Province.

A total of 12 flights operated on the first day to bring back Iranian pilgrims to the provinces of Mazandaran, Yazd and Zanjan, Iranian flag carrier Iran Air reported on its website.

Return flights from Saudi Arabia to Iran will continue until Sept. 8. During this 23-day period, more than 88,000 hajj pilgrims will return from the Saudi cities of Jeddah and Medina to 19 provinces in Iran.

Detailed information of hajj return flights are available at Haj.iranair.com.

A total of 361 flights will be operated to return Iranian hajj pilgrims home. From the total number of return flights, 176 will be from Jeddah and the remaining 185 from Medina.

Hajj flights from Iran to Saudi Arabia concluded on Aug. 6. Starting July 8, a total of 88,561 hajj pilgrims were transported to Saudi Arabia by 360 flights in the course of 30 days.