The annual haj is due to begin tomorrow amid a war of words between the two nations, which claim leadership of the Sunni and Shia branches of Islam respectively. All devout Muslims are expected to perform the Hajj at least once in their lifetime, provided they are fit enough and have the financial means to do so.
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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Tuesday that the Saudi rulers refuse to accept responsibility for the last year’s Mina tragedy, insisting that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef should be liable to the bereaved people of the incident.
“If they are claiming that they are not guilty in the incident, they should let an Islamic global fact-finding delegation review and probe the case closely”, Khamenei said, adding that Saudi Arabia “should not shut people’s mouth with money”.
Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued an angry rebuke to “blasphemous” regional rival Saudi Arabia calling on the Muslim world to question its management of Islam’s holiest sites.
The Gulf Co-operation Council for the Arab States (GCC), has expressed condemnation and denunciation of the statement issued on Tuesday by the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, saying that the statement included false and disgraceful accusations against Saudi Arabia.
Diplomatic ties were restored in 1991, but relations have deteriorated in recent years, particularly over the countries’ support for opposing sides in the Syrian and Yemeni civil wars.
Khamenei also accused Saudi authorities of “murdering” Iranian pilgrims during last year’s Hajj stampede, branding the Saudis as “puny Satans who trembled in fear of…the Great Satan [the United States]”.
Saudi Arabia’s top cleric has likewise been critical of Iran.
Iranians are predominantly Shi’a Muslim.
“The Muslim world is well aware of the tremendous efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia to organise and facilitate the pilgrimage and host the pilgrims and ensure their safety”, Al-Zayani said in praise of the Saudi authorities.
Khamenei wrote on his website that “Saudi rulers” had shown “oppressive behavior” toward hajj pilgrims and because of that should reconsider who manages Mecca and Medina.
Iran says it is not sending any pilgrims on this year’s hajj beginning September 10 after talks with Saudi officials about security failed.
Riyadh said 769 pilgrims were killed in the 2015 disaster, the highest hajj death toll since a crush in 1990.
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In January, relations were severed again after Iranian demonstrators torched Saudi Arabia’s embassy and a consulate following the kingdom’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.
