Iranians won’t attend Hajj this year, says minister

Iranian pilgrims will not travel to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj this year after the two sides failed to reach an agreement due to severed political ties, state-run IRNA reported, citing Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Ali Jannati.

Efforts to reach an agreement began nearly four months ago, Jannati said, but “now the time is lost.”

“Iran's proposals regarding visa application, air transport and security of pilgrims were not accepted by the Saudi officials,” Jannat said, adding that Saudi officials told Iran that their pilgrims must go through a third country in order to receive a visa.

“This showed that the ground is not prepared for performing Hajj pilgrimage by Iranians this year.”

Tensions have remained high between the two countries since prominent cleric Nimr Al-Nimr was executed in Saudi Arabia 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 is the safety of Hajj following last year's pilgrimage, in which a crane accident in Makkah’s Grand Mosque, and stampede in Mina killed hundreds of pilgrims, including 464 Iranians. Iran called for an independent body to oversee Hajj shortly after last year’s tragedy.