Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of playing politics with hajj

Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of playing politics with hajj
King Salman of Saudi Arabia has said Iran is attempting to politicise this year's hajj festival, following an ongoing war of words between the two countries.
3 min read
13 September, 2016
Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of politicising the religious festival [Anadolu]

Saudi Arabia's King Salman has said he rejects any attempt to play politics with the hajj, after a disaster in Mecca during last year's pilgrimage caused Tehran and Riyadh to sever ties.

Tensions have continued during this year's hajj with Iran not sending pilgrims to Mecca for the first time in three decades.

Around 64,000 Iranians were expected to attend this pilgrimage but disagreements with Saudi Arabia on security and logistics issues led to Tehran banning its citizens attend the annual festival.

Iraq alternative

Instead, many attended Karbala in Iraq this year, a site revered by Shia Muslims with as many as one million Iranians expected to visit.

This and Iran's belicose rhetoric against Riyadh over last year's stampede Tehran including the accusation that the kingdom is "blocking the path leading to Allah".

This has led to angry reactions from Saudi Arabia's king.

"The kingdom categorically rejects that the hajj serves any political purpose," Salman said during a brief address to international VIPs attending the pilgrimage.

Riyadh said one of the major points of disagreement during hajj negotiations was Iran's insistence that its citizens could organise demonstrations in Mecca.

Khamenei called the al-Saud ruling family "puny Satans" who had politicised the pilgrimage and accused Riyadh of "murdering" stampede victims.


Another contentious issue was last year's hajj stampede which, according to foreign officials, killed is excess of 2,300 people including 464 Iranians.

Just days before this year's hajj - which began on Saturday - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei questioned Saudi Arabia's right to manage Islam's holiest sites.

He also called the al-Saud ruling family "puny Satans" who had politicised the pilgrimage and accused Riyadh of "murdering" stampede victims.

Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh responded by saying that Iranians - who are mostly Shia - "are not Muslims".

Gulf states supported Saudi Arabia and accused Iran of "a desperate attempt to politicise" the hajj and said Khamenei's remarks were offensive.

Meanwhile, Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has urged dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Thani recently called Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to wish him Eid greetings.

"The emir stressed that Gulf-Iran relations should be based on good neighbourly relations and mutual respect," reported Qatar's state news agency.

"Any Gulf-Iran disputes should be settled through negotiations and dialogue," the emir was quoted as saying. 

Hajj festival


More than 1.8 million faithful from around the world have been attending the annual pilgrimage which officially ends on Thursday.

"Serving the guests of God is an honour for us," Salman told the VIP delegates.

Saudi Arabia had said Iranians were still welcome at the hajj if they came from another country.

The hajj ministry said "a number" of Iranians who held other passports attended this year's pilgrimage but did not give more details.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have no diplomatic relations, and have been at odds over a number of regional issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

Tensions broke after Saudi Arabia's executed a well-known Shia cleric in January with the killing leading to attacks on Riyadh's diplomatic missions in Iran by angry protesters.

Agencies contributed to this story.