TEHRAN – An Iranian lawmaker raised the possibility that the country might have to lease passenger planes from foreign airlines if Saudi Arabia would not cooperate in carrying the Iranian Hajj pilgrims back home.

Blaming Saudi Arabia for reneging on its promise to carry half of the Iranian passengers to Mecca and Madina, Hassan Hosseini Shahroudi said Iran’s flag carrier Iran Air will lease planes from Qatar and Malaysia if the kingdom fails again to carry the Iranian passengers in their return to home, Nasim reported.

SP/PA