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Tehran, Riyadh underscore continued cooperation in Hajj pilgrimage
Alireza Rashidian, the head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, met on Tuesday with the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Tehran, discussing the progress of joint cooperation between the two countries in the field of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage, and emphasizing the expansion of ties to provide appropriate services to pilgrims.
In a meeting with Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi, Rashidian — as reported by to IRNA — appreciated the cooperation of the Saudi side in providing services to Iranian pilgrims and underscored their continuation in the upcoming Hajj in the next Iranian calendar year.
Pointing to the 1405 Hajj agreement, he stated, "The precise implementation of executive and cultural programs within the framework of the understandings reached can pave the way for improving the quality of services and increasing pilgrim satisfaction."
Rashidian also underscored the necessity of accelerating executive processes, timely coordination, and continuous technical interactions between the two countries, adding, "Cohesive and planned cooperation plays an important role in facilitating pilgrim affairs during the Hajj season."
The Saudi ambassador, for his part, praised Iranian pilgrims as among the most disciplined and law-abiding pilgrims, considering them a role model in adhering to rules and regulations.
Both sides expressed hope that with the continuation of such talks, joint cooperation in the field of Hajj and pilgrimage will be further strengthened.
The development comes as some Muslim and Arab countries declared Wednesday as the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Yemen, Palestine and Lebanon declared Wednesday as the first day of Ramadan, while other countries such as Iran, Oman, Jordan, Syria and Egypt announced that Thursday is the start of the holy fasting month.