Iranian pilgrims won't attend Hajj this year

This year, Iranian pilgrims won't be able to attend Hajj in Mecca,  Press TV channel wrote on its Twitter page.

"Iran says it will not take part in this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca because of 'obstacles' created by Saudi Arabia," the report says.

"Performing the Hajj ritual this year is virtually impossible," Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati said.

“Given the way Saudi authorities treated Iranian delegates and talked to them during two rounds of negotiations as well as in view of their sabotage and obstacles they created, unfortunately Iranian pilgrims cannot go to Hajj this year," he added.

The last one began in Jeddah on May 25th. "Despite holding several special meetings with the authorities and experts from the Ministry of Hajj of Saudi Arabia, there are still differences on five paragraphs, stated in memorandum," Iran's top Hajj official Saeed Ohadi said.

He said only six out of the 11 provisions, which were entirely against the dignity of Iranian pilgrims, had been removed but the rest remained intact due to the obstinacy of Saudi officials. Ohadi said the Saudi delegation had revealed that it did not have the power to make the final decision on the disputed points, indicating other authorities in the Saudi government were dictating the terms.

Last week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused Saudi Arabia of "obstructing" this year's Hajj rituals for the Iranian pilgrims. "Unfortunately, the Saudi sabotage regarding the basic issues of Iranian pilgrims including their transfer, safety and visa issuance has resulted in the emergence of problems," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said in his weekly press conference.