Iran: Relative Progress in Hajj Talks with Saudis

Iran said on Thursday that relative progress has been made in the ongoing talks with Saudi Arabia on restoration of Hajj pilgrimage for this year.

“If the talks on meeting expectations raised by Iran reach an agreement, then the path will be open for the Iranian pilgrims to attend this year Hajj congregation,” Caretaker of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Hamid Mohammadi said, according to IRNA news agency.

An Iranian delegation headed by Mohammadi arrived in Riyadh on February 22 upon the invitation of the Saudi officials to discuss resumption of sending Iranian Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

Iranian pilgrims did not attend the annual Hajj ceremonies in 2016 because the Saudi officials had failed to meet expectations of the Iranian side for resumption of sending the Iranian pilgrims for Hajj rituals.

Iran has set certain conditions for sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The conditions included ensuring the pilgrims’ security, paying the blood money to the families of those who were killed during the 2015 stampede during Hajj rituals and preserving the Iranian pilgrims’ dignity while they are in Saudi Arabia.

About 500 Iranian pilgrims were killed during a stampede in 2015 Hajj annual congregation when, according to reports, two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometers east of Mecca, on their way to performing the ‘Stoning of the Devil’ ritual at Jamarat.

Various rounds of talks have been held between the two sides Hajj officials to remove the obstacle in the way of performing Hajj rituals in a safe atmosphere.