RIYADH (DEC 30, 2016): Saudi Arabia on Friday invited Iran for discussions regarding next year’s Hajj and requested a return of its nationals to the pilgrimage.
Iranians refused to perform the pilgrimage this year after tensions between Riyadh and Tehran boiled over following a deadly stampede during the 2015 pilgrimage.
Authorities in Iran claimed they lost 464 people in the crush outside Makkah. They were among more than 2,300 people killed in the worst ever disaster to strike the Hajj — one of the five pillars of Islam — which capable Muslims must perform at least once.
A Saudi Arabian daily reported that pilgrims minister in Arabia, Mohammed Bentin had opened discussions with more than 80 countries, including Iran, to work out the details of the 2017 hajj.
“Iran’s hajj delegation was invited to come to the kingdom” for preparations, it said in its report.
“Riyadh would welcome pilgrims for hajj and the smaller umra rite “irrespective of their nationalities or sectarian affiliations, including Iranian pilgrims”,” Bentin was quoted as saying by the newspaper.