TEHRAN –Iran’s interest section in Cairo has blasted Arab media outlets for reporting that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had issued an edict calling for performing this year’s hajj ritual in Karbala, Iraq.

“Such edict has been issued neither in the current year nor in previous years and the news is incorrect, fabricated and libel,” read part of the announcement of Iran’s interest section.

Iranians could not attend this year’s hajj ritual as Riyadh could not soothe Tehran’s concerns over security issues after 464 Iranian pilgrims lost their lives in a crush in Mina during the last year’s hajj pilgrimage.

“The Saudis’ incompetence and negligence and the unsafety imposed by them on hajj pilgrims as well as their lack of cooperation are the main and real causes of absence of Iranian Muslims in the hajj rituals this year,” the announcement underscored. 

While Tehran held several rounds of negotiations with Saudi officials to pave the way for Iranians to perform this year’s hajj, the talks broke down at the end of the day.

“Making pilgrimage to (the shrine of) Imam Hussein on the Arafa day has been recommended in numerous hadiths and narratives…” read another part of the announcement.

According to one account, on the Arafat day, which falls on the 9th day of Dhul Hijj, Imam Hussein was forced to leave his hajj unfinished as the tyrannical forces of his time were trying to make him obey them.

AK/PA