A senior official criticized the Saudi government over the cancellation of this year’s hajj pilgrimage for Iranians, saying Al Saud prevented Iranians from making a “dignified” religious expedition.
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said on Monday the Saudi government should learn lessons from the consequences of its wrong policies and stop such “divisive measures”, Press TV reported.
He added that Iran had prepared a detailed to-do list for the Saudi government to help Iranians perform the hajj ritual in a “dignified” way, but the Saudi regime refused to accept it.
Shamkhani made the statements after Culture Minister Ali Jannati said on Sunday that in view of “sabotage and obstacles” created by Saudi officials, performing the hajj ritual this year is virtually impossible.
For the second time, a six-member Iranian delegation traveled to Saudi Arabia on May 24 to hold last-ditch talks to iron out differences between the two countries.
Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia plummeted after the kingdom’s illegal execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in January.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties on January 3 following attacks on vacant Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran by angry demonstrators protesting Nimr’s execution.
