Unidentified gunmen kidnapped a total of 11 Iranian pilgrims in Syria en route Halab city to Damascus, IRNA reported.
Head of the representative office of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization in Syria confirmed that the Iranian pilgrims were abducted, saying that they were on their way to Damascus in central Syria before being ambushed by the armed gunmen.
Masoud Akhavan noted that the abducted Iranians were among those who have not obtained permit from Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization before departing for Syria.
He added that they were going to visit the Shia holy shrines in Iraq after Syria.
More than 5,000 Iranian pilgrims have travelled to Syria in recent days.