Iran will not facilitate going to hajj amid spat with Saudi Arabia
By Associated Press in Teheran | China Daily | Updated: 2016-06-04 07:33
Iran said on Thursday it won't facilitate sending pilgrims to the hajj this year because Saudi Arabia is allegedly failing to provide adequate security.
The hajj has become a contentious issue between the two Middle East neighbors, particularly after last year's deadly crush of pilgrims that killed at least 2,426 people, according to a count by The Associated Press. Teheran has said 464 of the dead were Iranian.
Iran has demanded additional security guarantees for pilgrims, while the Saudis have balked at allowing Iranian pilgrims to perform a Shiite ritual that often includes protests against the West. A second round of talks in Saudi Arabia this week failed to resolve the dispute.
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