The Shoura Council on Tuesday strongly denounced the Iranian regime for its attempt to politicize Haj rituals. "Tehran is trying to get this great ritual out of its religious framework and turn it into a means to serve its political goals," the Council said in a statement, read out by Muhammad Al-Amr, secretary general of the Council, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Sheikh Abdullah Al Asheikh, president of the Council, chaired the session. "Politicization of Haj or its use in international relations is not acceptable to Saudi Arabia, which is exerting all its potentials to host, serve and take care of pilgrims and ensure their security until their departure from its territory," the Council said while calling on the Iranian regime to appeal to reason in terms of Haj and not to misuse Haj to manipulate the sentiments of the Iranian citizens. The Council commended the positions of countries, parliaments and Islamic organizations supportive to that of Saudi Arabia by their rejection of Tehran's attempts to politicize Haj. "This shows the sound position of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and its keenness in enabling the pilgrims to perform their rituals in ease and comfort without driving the impact of political turmoil and relations between nations into Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam." The Council emphasized that the Kingdom mobilizes all its human and material resources and capabilities to serve the pilgrims without any discrimination among pilgrims from one country or the other, the statement added.
