Iran Says It Will Avoid the Hajj This Year, Blaming Saudi Arabia
Angry over what it described as Saudi sabotage, Iran said Thursday that Iranian citizens would not participate this year in the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, the host country of Islam’s holiest places.
Saudi Arabia said Iran was to blame for the problem, accusing the Iranians of making unacceptable demands.
It was unclear from the statements by both sides whether the dispute was intractable or could still be solved ahead of the hajj, which takes place in September.
Regardless, the statements reflected the worsening relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia, longtime regional rivals that are on opposite sides of conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/13/world/middleeast/hajj-pilgrimage-iran-saudi-arabia.html
