Iran's 10-Day Ultimatum to Saudi Arabia Regarding Hajj 95

The head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization announced that the organization has sent a letter to the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in protest against Saudi Arabia's behavior and threatened that if the country does not respond to Iran's requests within 10 days, the Supreme Hajj Council will make a 'final decision' regarding the dispatch of Iranian pilgrims for Hajj 95. According to ISNA news agency, Saeed Ohadi stated on Tuesday, May 21, that despite two weeks having passed since the deadline set, Saudi Arabia has yet to respond to Iran's requests. He added, 'If Saudi Arabia continues its unconventional behavior for the next 10 days, we will request an emergency meeting of the Supreme Hajj Council to make a final decision regarding Hajj Tamattu 95.' He pointed out that the timeline for issuing visas for Iranian officials involved in the Hajj and finalizing necessary contracts has entered a 'red phase.' According to Mr. Ohadi, in recent months, despite the 'agreement' of the former Saudi Minister of Hajj to use Iranian airlines for transporting pilgrims, the positions of the Saudi Foreign Ministry regarding how to issue visas for Iranian pilgrims have been 'unclear.' Mr. Ohadi had previously reported that the Islamic Republic has set four conditions for sending Iranian pilgrims to Hajj Tamattu 95: 'ensuring the safety of Iranian pilgrims,' 'using Iranian air transportation for transferring pilgrims,' 'issuing visas within Iran,' and 'utilizing consular services in Saudi Arabia.' Reports indicate that Saudi Arabia has told Iran that it will issue visas to the Iranian delegation in a third country, but Iran insists that if the Swiss government is protecting Saudi interests, it should issue visas to Iranian officials in Iran, and requests for visas from a third country are unacceptable to Tehran. On the other hand, according to Iranian officials, Saudi Arabia has also set 'conditions' for accepting Iranian pilgrims and has placed conditions on Iran's cultural programs during Hajj, including 'slogans.' The head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization also stated on Tuesday that 'no communication' has been established between this organization and the new Saudi Minister of Hajj so far. According to Mr. Ohadi, the dismissal of the Saudi Minister of Hajj complicates the dispatch of Iranian pilgrims 'even more.' Concurrently with changes in the Saudi government, in recent days, Bandar Al-Hajjar, the Minister of Hajj during the Mina incident and the deaths of over a hundred pilgrims due to a crane collapse, was dismissed, and Mohammed Saleh Benten has replaced him. Mr. Ohadi also announced on Tuesday that Iran had sent a letter to the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation 10 days ago protesting against the 'irresponsible behavior and broken promises of the Saudis.' Meanwhile, Ali Akbar Velayati, the international advisor to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, stated that ensuring the safety of pilgrims is the duty of the Saudi government, and if this country 'deviates' from its duty, it should be 'held accountable by the Islamic world.' In recent days, the Minister of Culture and the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry have indicated the possibility that Iranian pilgrims may not attend the Hajj ceremony. At the same time, Mohammad Hassan Asafari, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, referred to the statements of officials from the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization in this commission and stated that members of the Supreme Hajj Council have concluded that this year's Hajj Tamattu is 'canceled.' Following the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, last January, the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad were set on fire by protesters against the execution of this Shia cleric, after which Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Iran. Previously, during the Mina incident that occurred last September in Saudi Arabia, over 460 Iranian pilgrims were killed.