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Minister Ali Jannati

Tehran. – Iran said yesterday that its nationals will miss the annual hajj, accusing Saudi Arabia of sabotaging arrangements following a major diplomatic row and a deadly stampede at last year’s pilgrimage.

A delegation from Tehran held four days of talks in Saudi Arabia last month aimed at thrashing out a deal for Iranians to go to Mecca in September.

It was the first dialogue between the region’s foremost Shiite and Sunni Muslim powers since diplomatic relations were severed in January.

But with Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran still closed and Iranian flights to the kingdom halted, the talks hit deadlock.

“The arrangements have not been put together and it’s now too late,” Iran’s Culture Minister Ali Jannati told the official IRNA news agency. “The sabotage is coming from the Saudis.

“Their attitude was cold and inappropriate. They did not accept our proposals concerning the issuing of visas or the transport and security of the pilgrims.

“Saudi officials say our pilgrims must travel to another country to make their visa applications.”

Iran wants Saudi Arabia to issue visas through the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which has looked after Saudi interests since Riyadh broke off ties in January following the ransacking of its diplomatic missions by protesters after it executed a leading Shiite cleric. -AFP.