Iran wanted permission to hold demonstrations at Haj: Al-Jubeir

JEDDAH: Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir slammed Iran for its attempt at politicizing the annual Haj pilgrimage.
Speaking at a joint press conference with visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Sunday, Al-Jubeir said: “Iran demanded the right to organize demonstrations and to have privileges that would cause chaos during the Haj. This is unacceptable.”
He said Saudi Arabia agreed to facilitate the travel arrangements of Iranian pilgrims despite having no diplomatic ties or air links with Tehran.
“Iran’s intention from the start was to maneuver and find excuses in order to prevent its citizens from performing Haj,” he said. “They are now answerable to Allah.”
Al-Jubeir blamed Iran for the chaos and disorder in Iraq.
“Sedition and division in Iraq are the results of sectarian policies that grew out of Iran’s divisive policies in Iraq,” he said.
He said Iran had created a mess in Iraq by supporting Shiite militias. “If Iran wants stability in Iraq, it has to stop intervening and withdraw,” he said.
“You cannot have peace in Iraq with (Iranian General) Qassem Soleimani leading the campaign against Sunnis,” he said.
Tehran has dispatched heavy military contingents to help organize Shiite militias in Iraq and also to Syria to help dictator Bashar Assad. It said its military contingents were sent to the two countries at the host governments’ requests.
Al-Jubeir said: “Iranian presence in Iraq, with or without invitation, is unacceptable.”
“Iran should respect the principle of good neighborly relations in order to focus on its internal situation and not intervene in the affairs of other countries in the region,” Al-Jubeir said. “Iran stands isolated because it sponsors terrorism.”