Iran-Saudi Arabia: Mutual Accusations Continue

• 09.07.2016, 21:41
•  Near East,  World

Morteza Nikoubazl, Amr Dalsh/Reuters

The relations between the two largest countries of the Islamic world - Iran and Saudi Arabia, have once again become tense. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini accused the authorities of Saudi Arabia for the death of pilgrims during the pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca last year. It should be reminded that more than 2 thousand people died during the last Hajj, of which 464 have been Iranians. Iran's supreme leader has declared that "the Islamic world should seriously review the control and Hajj to two Islamic holy places (Mecca and Medina)" accusing the Saudi ruling family for the inability to organize a pilgrimage.
In response, the Chief Mufti of Saudi Arabia stated that "Iran's leaders are not actually Muslims and treat Sunni Muslims like enemies."

Last year about 60 thousand Iranians participated in the pilgrimage to Mecca, but this year Iranians will not go to pilgrimage to Mecca, because of the failure of negotiations between the two countries on this issue. This is the first time during the last 3 decades that the Iranians do not have the opportunity to participate in Hajj.

The relations between Er-Riyadh and Tehran, already strained ones, deteriorated in early 2016, when in Saudi Arabia on January 2 the Shiite spiritual leader Nimr al Nimre was beheaded. This raised a protest among the Shiite population in the Middle East, further deteriorating the relations between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran. Saudi monarchy broke off diplomatic ties with Iran. As a sign of solidarity with the Er-Riyadh, about a dozen Arab and Islamic countries did the same.

Some analysts believed that the escalation could even lead to direct military conflict, but the conflict continued in the framework of the current crisis in the region. This refers mainly to Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain. These are the main centers of conflict, where the two countries are involved and have highly contradicting positions. Therefore any tension between these countries threatens to deepen these conflicts.