Hajj

The governor of the holy city of Mecca has referred to Iranians and Saudi Arabians as religious brothers, expressing the hope that Iranian pilgrims would remember the Saudis with a good impression.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, in a message released on the occasion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, called for an end to the catastrophic incidents in Islamic countries.

Iranian president says the presence of Iranian pilgrims in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage is a good way to test Saudi Arabia’s behaviour, and can pave the way for better relations between Tehran and Riyadh if they pass the test.

Iran’s hospital in Mecca, launched by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) a couple of years ago, has been providing various medical services for pilgrims during the Hajj season.

The Iranian Leader’s Representative in Hajj Affairs, Seyyed Ali Qazi Askar, says this year the Islamic Republic has sent about 15,000 Sunni pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform their annual Hajj rituals.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani says the country is concerned about the safety of its citizens in Saudi Arabia following the reopening of the countries’ border enabling Qataris to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.

A top Iranian official has called on the international community not to remain indifferent toward the Saudi aggression against Yemen.

Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers shook hands on the sidelines of the OIC’s extraordinary meeting in Turkey in a move that could be referred to as bad news for Israel.

After Qatar’s protest, the Syrian government has also slammed Saudi Arabia for politicization of Hajj pilgrimage, saying the Saudi authorities continue to deny Syrian citizens the right to perform this Islamic duty.

Iran’s Culture Minister Reza Salehi Amiri says visas have been issued for members of an Iranian diplomatic delegation to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj rituals after Tehran boycotted the pilgrimage last year amid tensions with Riyadh.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Muslims should use the Hajj rituals this year to take a united stance against Israeli efforts to control the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Iran says it may reconsider its earlier decision to send Iranian pilgrims to this year’s Hajj as Riyadh has not yet issued visas for the Iranian diplomats supposed to leave for Saudi Arabia before the annual rituals begin.

An Iranian official says there are some groups who are seeking to escalate the current disputes between Iran and Saudi Arabia by dissuading Iranian pilgrims from visiting the holy sites in the Arab country.

An Iranian official says the Saudi government has started issuing visa for Iranian Hajj pilgrims as of July 13.

Iran’s culture minister says Saudi Arabia has provided “written assurances” that it will meet all of Tehran’s conditions with regard to ensuring security for Iranian pilgrims in the upcoming Hajj ceremony.

Saudi Arabia has granted 10 Iranian Foreign Ministry representatives entry into the kingdom for handling consular affairs and helping Iranian pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season, an official announced.

Based on an agreement with Saudi Arabia, as many as 86,500 Iranian pilgrims will travel to the kingdom during this year’s Hajj season, an official announced.

Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization announced that the conditions for participation of Iranians in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage have been fulfilled following negotiations with Saudi officials after a hiatus in the wake of a diplomatic row with the kingdom.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the country may send nationals to Saudi Arabia to participate in the Hajj rituals this year.

The two Saudi police officers behind the harassment of two Iranian teenagers at Jeddah Airport in 2015 have been sentenced to 4 years in prison and 1,000 lashes, an Iranian official announced.

Delegations from Tehran and Riyadh held the first round of talks about conditions for the dispatch of Iranian nationals to Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage later this year.

After receiving an invitation from Saudi officials, an Iranian delegation has left Tehran for Saudi Arabia on Thursday to attend the upcoming Hajj talks.

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance says if Saudi Arabia pays the blood money of Iranian pilgrims killed in Mina tragedy in 2015, the Islamic Republic may resume sending its pilgrims to the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

An Iranian MP says Iran will in no way accept that a third country issues Saudi Arabia’s visa for Iranian pilgrims who want to go on annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

An Iranian official announced that an Iranian delegation will be dispatched to Saudi Arabia next month to discuss the possible attendance of Iranian pilgrims in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.