Qazi Askar: We Will Not Act Against Saudi Arabia's Wishes During Hajj

The representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hajj and Pilgrimage affairs implicitly confirmed that Iran accepted Saudi Arabia's condition to cancel the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony during this year's Hajj. Ali Qazi Askar stated on Wednesday, April 23, to the 'Nasim Online' news agency that Iran has never acted against the programs of Saudi Arabia, as the host country, and will not do so. He added that Saudi officials had previously requested the cancellation of the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony, but Iran had held the ceremony through some correspondence. In response to the question of whether an agreement had been reached this year regarding the holding of Dua-e-Kumayl, he said, 'If conditions are met and we can reach an agreement, we hope this will happen there {at Hajj}.' Qazi Askar further stated that the Saudi side cited security issues regarding Dua-e-Kumayl and referred to what they call 'security concerns.' He mentioned that Saudi officials have only agreed that the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony or any other program can be held in 'places related to pilgrims in Mecca and Medina.' The representative of the Supreme Leader in Hajj and Pilgrimage affairs added, 'We accepted this this year so that, God willing, conditions will normalize.' Saudi officials have repeatedly stated in recent years that they oppose the holding of the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony by Iran during Hajj, but officials from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office in Hajj have insisted on holding this ceremony. In June 2016, the 'Al-Alam' network quoted the Saudi newspaper 'Okaz' as saying that Iran insisted on holding Dua-e-Kumayl during Hajj, which was one of the main reasons for the Iranian delegation's refusal to sign the Hajj ceremony agreement. The newspaper wrote that Iran has turned the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony 'from a religious and worship framework into a political program.' Last year, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj blamed Iran for the failure of negotiations that year and stated that the holding of Dua-e-Kumayl and the disavowal of polytheists hindered the movement of other pilgrims. Iran and Saudi Arabia had begun negotiations for the details of this year's Hajj last year, and the Dua-e-Kumayl ceremony and the holding of the 'disavowal of polytheists' ceremony by Iranian pilgrims were among the main points of contention between the negotiating parties. The last time Iranian pilgrims participated in Hajj was in 2015. At that time, due to overcrowding during the passage of pilgrims through the Mina area, more than two thousand people lost their lives, over 460 of whom were Iranian. After this incident, verbal disputes between Iranian and Saudi officials prevented Iranian pilgrims from attending Hajj in 2016. In this context, 'Iranian pilgrims in 1396' will be sent to Saudi Arabia, the representative office of the Iranian Hajj Organization in Saudi Arabia will be 'reopened,' and Shamkhani stated: Iran is not seeking the overthrow of the Al Saud. Iran and Saudi Arabia discussed the presence of Iranian pilgrims in Hajj.