By IINA,
Tehran : As many as 104,000 pilgrims from Iran are expected to perform Haj this year. This was disclosed by Deputy Head of Iran’s Haj and Pilgrimage Organization. The pilgrims will start leaving for Saudi Arabia from November 12, 2008, IQNA reported quoting the information dissemination website of Haj Mehdi Aminian. The official said that Iran is negotiating with Saudi Arabia to increase the quota of Iranian pilgrims for Haj.
Volunteers can start registration in caravans from mid May, he said, noting that the exact date of registration will be announced in future. Aminian concluded that nearly two million Iranians have so far signed up for Haj, and that it may take the newly registered ones 17 years to be dispatched to the annual pilgrimage. Haj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, an obligation that must be carried out at least once in the lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford.