Riyadh Hindering Iranians’ Hajj Pilgrimage: Spokesman

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari blamed Saudi Arabia for obstructing preparations for the travel of Iranian pilgrims for Hajj rituals.

“With the continuation of Saudi Arabia’s obstructionism in the issue of security of (Iranian) pilgrims, transportation and issuing visa, the subject of Hajj has been practically hindered,” the spokesman said at his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday.

He also slammed Riyadh for adopting “intensification of tensions” as its main policy, stressing that Tehran, on the contrary, seeks stability and calm in the region.

There has been an interruption in Iranians’ trip to Saudi Arabia for Hajj after Riyadh severed its diplomatic ties with Tehran in January.

While Iran insists that the safety of travelers to Saudi Arabia must be ensured given a disaster that killed many Iranian pilgrims in last year’s Hajj, Saudis are dragging their feet over facilitating the trip for the upcoming Hajj season.

More than 460 Iranians were among the thousands of pilgrims who died on September 24, 2015, in a crush in Mina, near Mecca.

The incident marked the worst ever tragedy during Hajj.