Iran team in Saudi Arabia for Haj talks

TEHRAN // Iran has sent a team for talks in Saudi Arabia on the next Haj after it missed last year’s pilgrimage at a time of rising tensions between the two countries.

Iran’s culture minister Reza Amiri said a delegation had been sent “to follow up on the Haj”.

“Iran’s policy is to send pilgrims to the Haj this year, of course, if Saudi Arabia accepts our conditions.”

Mr Amiri said he had listed the conditions in a letter written to the Saudi Haj minister.

“If they accept our conditions, we will definitely send pilgrims this year, otherwise the responsibility will be on Saudi Arabia.”

On January 10, Iran said it had received an official invitation from Saudi Arabia for its pilgrims to attend this year’s Haj.

There was no official Iranian delegation at last year’s Haj after Riyadh severed ties with Tehran.

That followed the torching of Saudi missions in Tehran and Iran’s second city, Mashhad, by protesters.

It was the first time in three decades that Iranian pilgrims had been absent from the pilgrimage and followed years of worsening relations between the two countries.

Negotiations for Iranian pilgrims to join last year’s Haj broke down over where their visas should be issued and over security.

‘ If they accept our conditions, we will definitely send pilgrims this year Reza Amiri Iran’s culture minister