Hajj and Pilgrimage Director meets with Head of Gilan Representatives Assembly

Hamidreza Khosousi-Thani, the representative for Sowme'eh Sara and head of the Gilan Representatives Assembly, visited the Hajj and Pilgrimage office on Thursday, 17 July 2014.

According to the Gilan Hajj and Pilgrimage public relations office, Hamidreza Khosousi-Thani, the representative for the people of Sowme'eh Sara and head of the Gilan Representatives Assembly, attended the provincial management office on the afternoon of Thursday, 17 July 2014, at the invitation of the Hajj and Pilgrimage director. During the meeting, Hassan Yeganeh expressed his appreciation for the visit and provided a report on the performance of the provincial Hajj and Pilgrimage office. He highlighted the round-the-clock efforts of the office staff and discussed the organisation's role in delegating activities to the private sector, noting that 47 offices are currently operating in Gilan, with four additional licences pending. He further explained that these pilgrimage offices handle all registration and dispatch procedures for pilgrims travelling to Mecca, Medina, Iraq, and Syria, and are now also managing the transfer of Hajj and Umrah documents.

Yeganeh added that the managers of these pilgrimage offices and companies work with great dedication, despite the limited financial returns. Consequently, to support these offices, the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation has engaged in extensive correspondence and follow-up with the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Deputy of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, citing Article 8 of the Iran Tourism Industry Development Law and Note 3 of Article 132 of the Direct Taxes Act. It has been proposed that the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation initiate amendments to the Direct Taxes Act regarding this matter, and Yeganeh requested the support of the representative and his colleagues in the province to ensure the final approval of this proposal.

Khosousi-Thani, head of the Gilan Representatives Assembly, stated that the proposal has been reviewed positively by the Economic Commission and has received approval. He expressed hope that, following constructive discussions, it would be passed on the floor of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. He added that arrangements would be made for the following week for Yeganeh to attend a meeting of the Gilan Representatives Assembly to explain the matter in further detail.

It is worth noting that this tax exemption currently applies to travel and tourism service agencies. It is hoped that by approving the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation's proposal, pilgrimage service offices operating under the organisation's supervision will also be included in this benefit, recognising their role as a cultural profession within the country.