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Muslim pilgrims pray inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: AP

Manama: Iran may not allow its citizens to perform pilgrimage this year after a senior official said Tehran “has no plans for dispatching pilgrims for Haj.”

Last year, Tehran decided not to allow Iranians to perform Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam that brings together around three million Muslims in Makkah, in western Saudi Arabia. The move followed the failure of negotiations with Riyadh over logistics.

Addressing reporters during his weekly press briefing, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said the foreign ministry was following the same plan for Haj rituals as last year, the Islamic Republic News Agency (Irna) reported on Monday.

Reports last week said the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah had launched meetings with heads of delegations of more than 80 countries, including Iran, to discuss regulations and procedures related to pilgrims.

All countries that send pilgrims sign an agreement with Saudi authorities to coordinate the visas, travel and stay of their nationals during the religious event.

Minister of Haj and Umrah Mohammad Saleh Bin Taher Bentin said an invitation had been sent to the Iranian Haj delegation to attend those meetings, Saudi media reported.

The Saudi government welcomes all pilgrims and umrah performers and visitors, irrespective of their nationalities or sectarian affiliations, including Iranians, the minister added.

“The Kingdom is keen on applying measures and regulations to ensure a successful pilgrimage season for all,” the minister was quoted as saying.

However, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that “Iran has received no invitation from Saudi Arabia to discuss Haj issues.”

“He said the ministry has received no invitation from Saudi Arabia and has no plans for dispatching pilgrims for Hajj pilgrimage,” Irna reported. “The spokesman said Saudi Arabia has sent out invitations to 80 countries worldwide but has excluded Iran.”

Saudi Arabia and Iran have no diplomatic relations after they were severed by Riyadh in January last year following attacks on its embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northern city of Mashhad.