Pakistan Tells Iran and Iraq Pilgrims to Verify Every Flight Between the Two Countries
The Religious Affairs Ministry's 22 October 2026 circular tells Ziarat operators to verify every Iran-Iraq flight and keep backup routes. What it says.
On 22 October 2026 the Ministry of Religious Affairs told every registered Ziarat tour operator that pilgrims who combine Iran and Iraq must verify every flight between the two countries before they leave Pakistan. The circular also tells operators to keep land routes or other air plans ready, with spare money and hotel plans in case flights are cancelled.
We read the circular itself, a scanned letter posted on the ministry's website on 22 October 2026. It is dated the same day and addressed to the chief executives of all registered Zaireen Group Organisers (ZGOs). A ZGO is a company licensed by the ministry to take pilgrims, called Zaireen, to holy sites in Iran and Iraq.
The ministry issued the advisory on 22 October 2026
The circular, number F.2(11)/76-Ziarat(Vol-IX)-0001, says the ministry received an advisory from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that passes on advice from the Embassy of Pakistan in Baghdad. It covers the travel plans of Pakistani Zaireen going to Iran and Iraq.
The text does not say why the advice was needed. It does not say that any flight has been cancelled or that any route is closed. We therefore report only what it tells people to do. We looked at the Foreign Office press release list on 22 October and did not find this advisory there, so the ministry's own page is the only official source we have.
Pilgrims on three kinds of trip are told to verify every air sector
The circular names three groups: pilgrims who combine Iran and Iraq, pilgrims who use Iranian airlines, and pilgrims who plan to fly onward between Tehran or Mashhad and Najaf. Each should be advised to verify every Iran-Iraq air sector before departure.
An air sector is one flight from one city to the next. A trip that goes Karachi to Mashhad, then Mashhad to Najaf, has two sectors. The advice is to confirm each one, not only the first.
| Who | What the circular says |
|---|---|
| Pilgrims combining Iran and Iraq | Verify every Iran-Iraq air sector before departure |
| Pilgrims on Iranian airlines | Verify every Iran-Iraq air sector before departure |
| Pilgrims flying Tehran or Mashhad to Najaf | Verify every Iran-Iraq air sector before departure |
| Registered ZGOs | Do not rely on unconfirmed Iranian connections |
| Registered ZGOs | Keep alternative land routes or air arrangements, contingency funds and accommodation plans |
Operators must not rely on unconfirmed Iranian connections
Paragraph 3 tells ZGOs to avoid relying on unconfirmed Iranian connections. It asks them to keep alternative land routes or air arrangements, enough contingency funds and accommodation plans ready in case of cancellations, and to brief every pilgrim in their group before the journey starts.
In plain words, an operator should not sell a trip that works only if one unconfirmed flight runs. The word contingency means money and rooms set aside for a plan that fails. If your operator cannot show you these, that is a reason to ask questions before you pay.
Check your own booking in five steps
Start with your operator's written itinerary, because a verbal promise cannot be checked later. Then confirm each flight with the airline, and confirm that the operator holds a current licence. These steps use the circular's advice and ordinary booking care.
- Ask your operator for a written list of every flight, with airline, date and route.
- Pick out each flight that crosses between Iran and Iraq and confirm it with the airline.
- Ask what the backup is if that flight is cancelled: a road route or another flight.
- Ask in writing who pays for extra hotel nights and transport if a flight is cancelled.
- Check the operator on the ministry's licensed ZGO list before you hand over money.
The steps for checking a licence are in how to check a Ziarat operator's licence. If you have already booked, keep every receipt and message.
What the advisory does not say
The circular names no airline, no date and no route that is affected. It does not mention the border. Separately, we reported that trade at Taftan and Gabd was suspended from 17 October. That was about trucks. The circular does not say whether pilgrims on foot or by bus are affected.
For help abroad, pilgrims can register with the Pakistan embassy online before they leave. We will add any new notice from the ministry or the Foreign Office when it is published.
Common questions
Has the ministry banned travel to Iran or Iraq?
No. The circular is an advisory. It asks pilgrims and operators to verify flights and prepare backups. It does not stop anyone travelling.
Who issued the 22 October advisory?
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony issued it. It says it is passing on advice that the Foreign Ministry received from the Pakistan embassy in Baghdad.
Are flights between Iran and Iraq cancelled?
The circular does not say so. It asks for verification of every sector but names no cancelled flight. Ask your airline for the status of your own flight.
Does the advisory apply to Iran-only or Iraq-only trips?
The advice is aimed at pilgrims who combine both countries, use Iranian airlines or fly between Tehran or Mashhad and Najaf. Other pilgrims should still confirm their flights.
What should I do if my operator cannot give a backup plan?
Ask for it in writing. If the operator refuses, check its licence and think again before paying. Complaints about licensed operators go to the ministry.
Where can I read the circular?
It is in the latest news list on the ministry's website, titled Advisory regarding Air travel between Iran and Iraq, dated 22 October 2026.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 22 October 2026. We read the scanned circular on the Ministry of Religious Affairs website on that date, and looked at the Foreign Office press release list the same day without finding the advisory. We could not verify why it was issued, which flights are affected, or whether any has been cancelled. We did not contact an airline or an operator.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
