Head of Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization: The Holding of Hajj 95 Remains Uncertain

Saeed Ohadi, the head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, announced on Tuesday, April 25, that Saudi Arabia has not yet provided a clear response regarding the issuance of visas for Iranian pilgrims, and the holding of Hajj remains shrouded in uncertainty. According to the ISNA news agency, Mr. Ohadi, in a press conference about the latest meeting between representatives of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization and Saudi officials, stated that Saudi Arabia is expected to announce its final decision on the visa issuance for Iranian pilgrims by the end of this week. He dismissed the topic of Turkey mediating for Hajj negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, stating, "According to consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when Saudi Arabia has designated a protector of its interests in Iran, it is unnecessary to issue visas for Iranian citizens in a third country." Following the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran last December, Saudi Arabia severed its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Subsequently, Saudi Arabia announced that the Swiss embassy in Tehran would provide consular services related to the entry of Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. The head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization also emphasized that Saudi officials have placed conditions regarding Iran's cultural programs during Hajj, including 'slogans.' Saeed Ohadi commented on recent statements by Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, regarding the 'domineering' behavior of Saudi officials in recent negotiations, attributing the cold atmosphere of the negotiations to the severed political relations between the two countries. This past Sunday, Ali Jannati stated in an interview with the IRIB news agency that in recent negotiations with Saudi officials, the Saudi side's interactions were 'very cold' and at the same time 'domineering.' The head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization further stated that Saudi Arabia has agreed to pay blood money to the victims of the crane collapse incident at the Grand Mosque during last year's Hajj. He added that we have also emphasized the issue of compensation for the victims of the Mina incident to Saudi officials. Meanwhile, Farhad Parvaresh, the CEO of Iran Air and a member of the negotiating team for Hajj 95 with Saudi officials, also provided explanations in a press conference on Tuesday regarding the possibility of Iranian passenger planes flying in Saudi airspace. Mr. Parvaresh stated, 'Since we anticipated that Saudi Arabia would not allow flights to Iran, we are prepared to use Iranian fleets and even charter foreign aircraft to accommodate our pilgrims.' He also discussed Iran's share of flights, stating, 'According to existing agreements, 50% of the flights are allocated to Iranian companies, and the rest are with the Saudis. This contract is not exclusive to Iran and is implemented with all countries.' Mahan Air is one of the main airlines in Iran that used to transport many passengers between Iran and Saudi Arabia during Hajj days before the suspension of Hajj trips, but about three weeks ago, Saudi Arabia revoked Mahan Air's permission to use its airspace and land at its airports due to what it called 'violations of flight safety regulations' by this airline.