Manama: Iran will be responsible before God and its own people if its citizens are not able to perform Haj this year, the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah has said.
The ministry issued a statement after the members of an Iranian delegation who arrived on Tuesday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah to discuss the arrangements for the pilgrimage in September left Saudi Arabia without signing the necessary agreement.
All countries are requested to sign the memoranda that stipulate the arrangements for their pilgrims throughout the rituals that bring together around three million Muslims from around the world.
The two sides reportedly held lengthy talks on Wednesday over the arrangements and statements issued afterwards described them as “positive”. The formal signing of the final accord was scheduled for Thursday.
However, the Iranian delegation did not show up for the signing and eventually left on Friday without the formal accord that paves the way for Iranians to perform Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam.
The Saudi ministry on Friday evening issued a statement that chronicled the details of the visit by the Iranian delegation.
The statement said that the two sides discussed all issues and that the ministry suggested solutions to all points raised by the Iranians.
The ministry said that it approved issuing Haj visas electronically from Iran since Saudi Arabia has severed ties with Iran following attacks on its embassy in Tehran and its general consulate in the northern city of Mashhad and no diplomatic mission in the country.
Saudi Arabia also agreed to allow Iran’s national airline to carry Iranian pilgrims into Saudi Arabia even though Iranian planes are not allowed to land in the kingdom.
The ministry also approved the Iranian request to be diplomatically represented through the Swiss embassy to look after the interests of Iranian pilgrims, the statement added.
“However, at dawn on Friday the Iranian delegation expressed its desire to leave for home without signing the minutes of the arrangements for the Iranian pilgrims,” the statement said.
“Accordingly, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah is confirming that the delegation of the Iranian Haj and Visit Organisation that refused to sign the minutes of the arrangements for Iranian pilgrims will be responsible before Allah Almighty and before its own people for the inability of the Iranian citizens to perform Haj this year.”
The ministry added that Saudi Arabia “categorically rejects the politicisation of the Haj rituals.
“The Ministry of Haj and Umrah is always ready to cooperate for serving the pilgrims and facilitating their arrival procedures”, the statement added.
Islam requires all physically fit and financially able Muslims to perform Haj at least once in their lifetime.
