Iran President’s Letter to Saudi Crown Prince Was about Hajj, Spokesman Says

IQNA – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent letter to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was about the issue of Hajj, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

The letter was delivered by the head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization a few days before Bin Salman's visit to the United States, raising speculations that it may have been related to the talks between Iran and the US that have been suspended since the Israeli regime and US aggression against the Islamic Republic in June.   

Speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said this letter was solely within the framework of the relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

It was about Hajj cooperation, Iran’s appreciation for the services provided by Saudi Arabia during the 2025 Hajj, and the announcement of readiness to continue cooperation in holding next year’s Hajj, he said, adding that there was no issue of mediation or behind-the-scenes negotiations in it.

Bagaei added that the last Hajj was held under different conditions, because the Islamic Republic of Iran was engaged in defending itself against the military aggression of the Zionist regime, “and our pilgrims encountered problems. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia and some other countries in the region, such as Oman and Iraq, provided significant assistance to ensure that our pilgrims returned safely.”

He described the relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia as positive and valuable, saying, “We attach great importance to this relationship and are grateful to the countries of the region that are concerned about peace and stability in the region and are trying to reduce tensions. However, as I mentioned, there was no discussion of mediation or negotiation in the president’s letter.”

Regarding the mediation of Saudi Arabia or other countries, the Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasized the issue of mediation is not at all an issue. “The main problem is that the United States is not serious about negotiations and its view of negotiations is based on dictation, not conventional diplomacy and based on interaction. “As long as the United States insists on this approach, meaningful negotiations will not take place.”

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