Tehran, January 5, The Iran Project – Iran’s government spokesman says Umrah Hajj pilgrimage won’t be performed until the secure condition is provided.

In his weekly press conference with the media on Tuesday, Iran’s government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht said “Iran has officially suspended Umrah Hajj pilgrimage until the secure condition is provided for the pilgrims.”

Referring to Mina stampede in which hundreds of pilgrims lost their lives, Nobakht stated that as long as the case was not pursued by the Saudi officials, Iran would halt Umrah Hajj pilgrimage (‘Umrah Hajj pilgrimage; Minor pilgrimage' or 'lesser pilgrimage' is a pilgrimage to Mecca, performed by Muslims that is not compulsory but highly recommended) .

Answering public query concerning Hajj pilgrimage in Iranian year of 1395 (2016), head of Hajj and pilgrimage organization Saeed Ohadi also said on Monday that organizing Hajj pilgrimage for Iranians will be decided by top officials of the government.

Also, yesterday, the spokesman of parliament’s Judicial and Legal Affairs Committee has said Major Hajj has been cancelled due to the severance of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Commenting on the impact of a break in ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia on this year’s Hajj, Mohammad Ali Esfanani said, “Iran should have taken the first step to cut its ties with Saudi Arabia after the Mina tragedy.

This year 64,000 Iranian pilgrims headed for Saudi Arabia for Hajj rituals of whom 464 lost their lives in Mina due to incompetency of the Saudi government. More than 8,000 Muslim pilgrims from four corners of the world died in the incident.