Saudi Arabia, Iran fail to reach deal on Hajj arrangements

Political tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran have escalated after the two countries failed for a second time to reach an agreement on Hajj arrangements for Iranian pilgrims.

A delegation from Tehran left the kingdom without signing an agreement, the kingdom’s Hajj ministry said in a statement on Friday, explaining that it had proposed “a number of solutions” to accommodate Iranian pilgrims.

The delegation from Iran will be responsible for the “inability of the Iranian citizens to perform Hajj for this year,” the statement added. 

Hossein Jaberi Ansari, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry later claimed that Saudi Arabia had not guaranteed consular support or security for Iranian pilgrims. He added in a statement that Saudi officials had wasted time and “closed all ways possible” for Iranians to attend the pilgrimage this year.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Ali Jannati had said that pilgrims would travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj this year after the two sides failed to reach an agreement.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have soured since prominent cleric Nimr Al-Nimr was executed in the kingdom earlier this year. The following days witnessed protestors storming the Saudi embassy in Tehran, which led the kingdom to cut diplomatic ties.

Another point of contention between the two countries is safety following last year’s Hajj, which saw a crane accident in Makkah’s Grand Mosque, as well as a stampede. Hundreds of pilgrims were killed in the incidents, including 464 Iranians.