Iran says officials will visit Saudi Arabia to discuss hajj

Despite severed ties after attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions, Tehran to seek compensation for 2015 hajj deaths

By AP 7 April 2016, 1:21 am
Iranian demonstrators hold anti-Saudi placards in a rally to protest the execution by Saudi Arabia last week of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent opposition Saudi Shiite cleric, in Tehran, Iran, January 4, 2016. (AP/Vahid Salemi)

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s state news agency says an Iranian delegation plans to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on this year’s upcoming hajj pilgrimage.

IRNA quotes Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran’s hajj organization, as saying the Iranians seek to discuss various issues, including “paying compensations to the families of those Iranian pilgrims killed” in last year’s stampede at the hajj.

Ohadi didn’t provide further details.

The kingdom severed ties with Tehran after its diplomatic missions were attacked and ransacked in Iran after the Saudis executed a top Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr on terror charges.

This would be a significant bilateral Iran-Saudi meeting since relations soured.

Iran says at least 464 Iranian pilgrims were killed in the stampede last September and blames Saudi “incompetence” for the deaths.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.

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