Iranian Muslims are set to miss the annual haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in September, after Tehran's delegation refused to sign an agreement laying out plans for this year's pilgrimage.
According to UAE news agency WAM, the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah confirmed that the mission of the Iranian Haj and Visit Organisation refused to sign the minutes on arrangements for Iranian pilgrims
In a statement, the Ministry said it had received a delegation from Iran to sign the agreement but added that it had returned to Iran without a signature.
It said continuous meetings were held "for long hours", with the two sides dealing "with all topics that have been discussed in previous meetings".
These included issuing visas electronically from inside Iran, transporting pilgrims equally between the Saudi national carrier and Iranian national carrier, and approving the Iranian request to represent it diplomatically through the Swiss embassy in order to take care of Iranian pilgrims' interests.
But on Friday, the Iranian mission expressed its desire to leave home without signing the minutes, the statement said, adding that as a result Iranian would be unable to perform Haj this year.
The Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah also stressed its "categorical rejection" to politicise the Haj rituals.