Saudi Arabia affirmed it did not prevent Iranians

Saudi Arabia on Sunday affirmed that it did not prevent Iranians or anyone else from performing their Hajj rituals or visiting the Holy Land and Makkah.

''Iranians are Muslims, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is open to all Muslims to perform Hajj rituals,'' Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Governor of Makkah Region and Chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, emphasised during a press conference announcing the success of this year's Hajj season.

''They all are invited, like other Muslims, to come to these places for Hajj and visit Makkah and Madinah to perform their rituals. But we beg everybody to come for Hajj and only worship because this is a land of worship. It is a land for all Muslims to perform their duties and rituals divinely ordained upon them by Allah Almighty,'' he said, while speaking about the measures taken by the Kingdom for Iranian pilgrims and their call for the politicisation of Hajj.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, he stressed that the Kingdom did not prevent Iranians or others, but ensured that visits were only for worship and not politics, because Hajj is not for politics and there is no politicisation of the Hajj. The Kingdom rejects the use of this time or this place for something other than worship, he added.

Answering a question about some Iranian pilgrims attempting to raise sectarian and political slogans in the Grand Mosque, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal said that the Kingdom does not allow such actions.

He stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs, and it does not interfere in the affairs of other countries in any way, but it provides pilgrims and visitors with all the possible assistance to meet their religious needs.

Asked about the assessment of the level of services offered during this year's Hajj, and the increase of pilgrims in the coming years, he said that the number of pilgrims rose by 30 percent and, in the coming years, the Kingdom has a vision to upgrade the quality of services.

Source: Wam