Entrepreneur Says 80,000 Indonesian Umrah Pilgrims Affected by Iran Conflict

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Indonesian hajj and umrah travel agency entrepreneurs speak out about the impact of the Middle East conflict on departures of Indonesian Umrah pilgrims.

Faried Al Jawi, acting chairman of Bersathu, said the impact of the escalation in the Middle East is already visible, with would-be Umrah pilgrims becoming increasingly anxious. ‘When you talk about the impact, it has already occurred, and the impact is already felt; we have been considering this. Prospective Umrah pilgrims who were going to depart have started to worry,’ he told CNBC Indonesia on Wednesday (4 March 2026).

Currently, they are still compiling data from Umrah travel agencies regarding the number of pilgrims whose departures have been delayed. ‘Regarding prospective Umrah pilgrims who were to depart but were postponed, we are still compiling data; overall, both those who were going to depart and those still in Saudi Arabia, could reach nearly 80,000 pilgrims,’ Faried added.

He said that of the about 80,000 pilgrims, around 58,000 are still stranded in the Holy Land, leaving the remainder potentially delaying their departure. ‘Those already there (in the Holy Land) are around 58,000; the rest will travel there (to the Holy Land),’ he explained.

Moreover, since the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pilgrims who were to depart have grown more anxious. Meanwhile, the Saudi authorities have announced that travel to and from Saudi Arabia is not closed and remains safe. ‘With the government announcement issued by the Ministry of Hajj and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the pilgrims are becoming even more anxious about departing, even though the Saudi government has issued statements that there is no problem and everything is safe,’ he said.

He noted that this can be evidenced by flights from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia and back, which remain normal. ‘After all, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, and others are still flying,’ he said.

Regarding refunds for Umrah pilgrims, they are also still collecting data from the airlines. ‘If refunds from Umrah pilgrims, we are still collecting data from the airlines,’ he explained.

Earlier, the Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah had urged Indonesians to postpone plans to travel to the Holy Land for Umrah in the near future. This advisory came amid the tense Middle East situation after the US-Israel military attack on Iran. Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Wamenhaj) Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak stated that the advisory is a cautious government measure to ensure the safety of citizens. ‘Considering the unsettled Middle East conditions and escalating tensions, we urge Umrah pilgrims who were planning to depart in the near future to postpone their departure,’ said the Wamenhaj in Jakarta on Sunday (1 March 2026).