Baku, Azerbaijan, April 24
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
The outcome of the recent talks between Tehran and Riyadh on issuing visa to Iranian pilgrims to visit Saudi Arabia for Hajj ritual remains unclear, an Iranian minister said.
Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati has said that the Saudi Arabian officials have demonstrated "cold" and "imperious" behavior during the talks, IRIB news agency reported.
He further expressed hope that the existing issues would be resolved during the talks with Saudi Arabia in future.
In the light of recent escalation of ties between Tehran and Riyadh, Swiss embassy in Tehran may issue visa for Iranian pilgrims to attend annual Hajj ritual in Saudi Arabia, Jannati earlier said.
According to the minister, talks are underway to resolve visa issue as Tehran has sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss Hajj for the current year.
The crisis between Riyadh and Tehran erupted after execution of a prominent Shia cleric, Nimr al-Nimr by the Saudis on Jan. 2.
Following the execution, angry mob stormed Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad. Right after the attacks on its diplomatic missions, the Saudi Arabia said it severed ties with the Islamic Republic.
Following the closure of the Saudi mission to Tehran, Riyadh announced that Switzerland will act for its interest section in Tehran.
In a separate development on 24 September 2015, a crowd collapse caused the deaths of more than 2,000 pilgrims who were suffocated or crushed during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mina, Mecca, making it the deadliest Hajj disaster in history.