Iran's Interests Office in Cairo: Khamenei Has Not Issued a Fatwa Regarding Hajj in Karbala

The Iranian Interests Office in Cairo, Egypt's capital, issued a statement declaring that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not issued a fatwa regarding 'the performance of Hajj rituals by one million Iranians in Karbala.' The statement, released on Monday, September 22, stated that 'such a fatwa has not been issued at all this year or in previous years, and this matter is incorrect, fabricated, and slanderous.' Several Arab media outlets recently reported that Khamenei had called for Muslims to visit Karbala in Iraq instead of Mecca, amid ongoing tensions with Saudi Arabia over the Hajj issue. The Iranian Interests Office in Egypt denied the existence of this 'fatwa' but emphasized that 'the pilgrimage to Imam Hussein on the Day of Arafah is mentioned in numerous hadiths and narratives and carries great rewards, with many devotees turning towards the holy shrine of the Master of Martyrs each year on this day.' Meanwhile, Al-Azhar, the highest religious institution for Sunni Muslims, issued a statement saying that the Hajj must be performed at the designated time and place in Saudi Arabia. Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are strained, with both countries accusing each other of obstructing the dispatch of Iranian pilgrims to this year's Hajj. In recent months, Khamenei has launched fierce attacks against Saudi leaders and called for the Hajj to be taken out of their control. In response to Khamenei's remarks, Abbas Shoman, deputy of Al-Azhar, told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that 'all officials' of this institution 'stand with Saudi Arabia.' Shoman also urged 'all Muslims' to disregard 'destructive remarks.'