TEHRAN: Iran said Tuesday it had finally received an official invitation from Saudi Arabia for its pilgrims to attend this year´s hajj, two weeks after Riyadh announced it.

There was no official Iranian delegation at last year´s pilgrimage to the Muslim holy places after Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran following the torching of its missions in Tehran and Mashhad by protesters in January last year.

It was the first time in three decades that Iranian pilgrims had been absent and the culmination of years of worsening relations over the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

"The Iranian delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia on February 23... and we hope to get tangible results," hajj affairs representative Ali Ghazi Askar told the Mizan Online news website.

"For the time being, nothing is certain and we will attend the hajj as long as the situation is prepared for us," he said.

"Undoubtedly, there are problems that must be resolved." Negotiations for Iranian pilgrims to join last year´s hajj broke down over the questions of where their visas should be issued and how their security could be ensured following the deaths of 464 Iranians in a stampede at the 2015 hajj.

The tone of the invitation is "not that much different from past letters", Askar said earlier Tuesday. "All matters regarding the hajj -- including accommodation, food, medical affairs, transport, pilgrims´ security, banking and consular issues -- must immediately be studied and appropriate solutions put forward."

The Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper reported on December 30 that Saudi Pilgrimage Minister Mohammed Bentin had opened discussions with more than 80 countries, including Iran, on the arrangements for the 2017 hajj.

Iran says it has finally received Saudi hajj invite was posted in World of TheNews International - https://www.thenews.com.pk on January 10, 2017 and was last updated on January 10, 2017. This news story is related to Latest/178131-Iran-says-it-has-finally-received-Saudi-hajj-invite/ - breaking news, latest news, pakistan ne. Permanent link to the news story "Iran says it has finally received Saudi hajj invite" is https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/178131-Iran-says-it-has-finally-received-Saudi-hajj-invite. </s> Iran has received an invitation from Saudi Arabia to discuss preparations for the next annual Hajj pilgrimage, a media report said on Tuesday. Ali Qazi-Askar, Iran’s representative for Hajj ceremonies noted that Iran has officially received Saudi Arabia’s invitation to meet and hold bilateral talks on the Hajj. Talks would focus on accommodation, transportation, safety, medical care, visas and banking, he said, adding that Iran would respond to the invitation over the next few days.

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Also, Like us on facebook </s> " A senior Tehran official says Iranian authorities are ready to "participate in bilateral talks" with Saudi Arabia about the 2017 hajj pilgrimage. The official IRNA news agency late on Monday quoted Ali Qaziaskar, a representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as saying that Iran like other Islamic countries received an invitation letter from Riyadh to discuss the next pilgrimage.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The New Zealand Herald. </s> Iran says it has finally received Saudi hajj invite

TEHRAN: Iran said Tuesday it had finally received an official invitation from Saudi Arabia for its pilgrims to attend this year´s hajj, two weeks after Riyadh announced it.

There was no official Iranian delegation at last year´s pilgrimage to the Muslim holy places after Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran following the torching of its missions in Tehran and Mashhad by protesters in January last year.

It was the first time in three decades that Iranian pilgrims had been absent and the culmination of years of worsening relations over the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

"The Iranian delegation will travel to Saudi Arabia on February 23... and we hope to get tangible results," hajj affairs representative Ali Ghazi Askar told the Mizan Online news website.

"For the time being, nothing is certain and we will attend the hajj as long as the situation is prepared for us," he said.

"Undoubtedly, there are problems that must be resolved." Negotiations for Iranian pilgrims to join last year´s hajj broke down over the questions of where their visas should be issued and how their security could be ensured following the deaths of 464 Iranians in a stampede at the 2015 hajj.

The tone of the invitation is "not that much different from past letters", Askar said earlier Tuesday. "All matters regarding the hajj -- including accommodation, food, medical affairs, transport, pilgrims´ security, banking and consular issues -- must immediately be studied and appropriate solutions put forward."

The Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper reported on December 30 that Saudi Pilgrimage Minister Mohammed Bentin had opened discussions with more than 80 countries, including Iran, on the arrangements for the 2017 hajj. </s> Iran has received an invitation from Saudi Arabia to discuss preparations for the next annual Hajj pilgrimage, a media report said on Tuesday. Ali Qazi-Askar, Iran’s representative for Hajj ceremonies noted that Iran has officially received Saudi Arabia’s invitation to meet and hold bilateral talks on the Hajj. Talks would focus on accommodation, transportation, safety,…

The post Iran, Saudi to hold talks on Hajj ceremonies appeared first on The Herald Nigeria – 24/7 News updates from Nigeria.

This post was syndicated from The Herald Nigeria – 24/7 News updates from Nigeria. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook </s> Iran said Tuesday it had finally received an official invitation from Saudi Arabia for its pilgrims to attend this year’s hajj, two weeks after Riyadh announced it.

There was no official Iranian delegation at last year’s Hajj pilgrimage after Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran following the torching of its missions in Tehran and Mashhad by protesters last January.

It was the first time in three decades that Iranian pilgrims had been absent and the culmination of years of worsening relations over the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

The tone is “not that much different from past letters”, hajj affairs representative Ali Ghazi Askar said, adding that Iran would respond in the coming days.

“All matters regarding the hajj — including accommodation, food, medical affairs, transport, pilgrims’ security, banking and consular issues — must immediately be studied and appropriate solutions put forward.”

Negotiations for Iranian pilgrims to join last year’s hajj broke down over the questions of where their visas should be issued and how their security could be assured following the deaths of 464 in a stampede at the 2015 hajj.

The Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper reported on December 30 that Saudi Pilgrimage Minister Mohammed Bentin had opened discussions with more than 80 countries, including Iran, on the arrangements for the 2017 hajj.

There was no immediate word on when or where the discussions might take place. – </s> DUBAI - An Iranian official confirmed on Monday that Saudi Arabia had invited Tehran to discuss arrangements for the annual Muslim Haj, which Iran boycotted last year after hundreds died in a crush at the 2015 pilgrimage.

Most were Iranians, and the incident infuriated Tehran. Soon after, ties between the two regional rivals worsened further when Saudi Arabia executed a Shia cleric, angry Iranians stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and Riyadh severed diplomatic relations.

Last year, Iran did not send any of its citizens to the Haj, accusing Saudi Arabia of failing to guarantee safety. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Muslim countries to end Saudi control of the pilgrimage, while Riyadh has accused Iran of politicising the 2015 disaster.

On Monday, Ali Ghaziaskar, Khamenei's representative in Haj affairs, said Iran had "officially received Saudi Arabia's invitation to meet and hold bilateral talks on the Haj".

The state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying the talks would be about accommodation, transportation, safety, medical care, visas and banking, and that Iran would respond in the coming days.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry last week denied reports in two Arabic newspapers that Iran had received an invitation from Saudi Arabia to next year's Haj. </s> Official: Iran ready to discuss 2017 hajj with Saudi Arabia

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A senior Tehran official says Iranian authorities are ready to "participate in bilateral talks" with Saudi Arabia about the 2017 hajj pilgrimage.

The official IRNA news agency late on Monday quoted Ali Qaziaskar, a representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as saying that Iran like other Islamic countries received an invitation letter from Riyadh to discuss the next pilgrimage.

Iran boycotted the 2016 hajj after a stampede and crush of pilgrims during the previous year's pilgrimage killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count. Iran had the highest death toll of any country, with 464 killed.

A few months later, Riyadh cut diplomatic relations with Tehran after angry Iranians attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the kingdom's execution of a Saudi Shiite cleric. </s> Iran will send delegation to Saudi Arabia to discuss hajj

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian official says a delegation will visit Saudi Arabia next month to discuss plans for this year's hajj pilgrimage.

The official IRNA news agency Wednesday quoted a representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying the Feb. 23 visit comes in response to an invitation from Saudi Arabia.

The representative, Ali Qaziaskar, expressed hope that the visit would lead to a "clear cut" conclusion, saying "we will not attend the hajj ceremony until the situation is resolved."

Iran did not sent its pilgrims to the 2016 hajj after a stampede and crush of pilgrims during the previous year's pilgrimage killed at least 2,426 people, according to an Associated Press count. Iran had the highest death toll with 464 killed.
Iran confirms receipt of Saudi Arabian invitation to discuss bilateral talk for Hajj-2017. The Iranian delegation is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on 23 February this year for participation in the next pilgrimage.