IRNA – Vice Chairman of Majlis (Parliament) Article 90 Commission said that no Iranian pilgrims would be sent to Saudi Arabia this year for Hajj congregation unless Riyadh provided essential guarantees for their security.


Of course, all measures for performing Hajj rituals have already been made and Iran will resume dispatch of Hajj pilgrims immediately after 'obtaining necessary legal guarantees' from the host Saudi Arabia, said Mohammad Reza Amir-Hassankhani on Sunday.

He made the remarks after a meeting with officials of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization of Iran who briefed the members of the commission on latest developments regarding arrangements made by the Saudi officials about dispatching of the Iranian pilgrims to this year’s Hajj rituals.

'Although all arrangements for sending pilgrims to Hajj have earlier been made, negotiations will continue until full assurance is achieved,' Amir-Hassankani said.

The Majlis Article 90 Commission’s meeting which was attended by officials with Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization as well as representatives from Audit Court and State Inspectorate Organization, 'has finally concluded that no pilgrims would be sent to the annual Hajj rituals, unless Saudi Arabia provided necessary assurances for respecting Iranian pilgrims’ dignity and security,' said the MP.

Iran stopped sending pilgrims to the annual Hajj rituals, due to the Saudis' mishandling of a human tragedy in Mina (September 2015) that killed thousands of Muslims, more that 460 Iranians, and also due to Saudis failure to guarantee safety of the Iranian pilgrims.