MAKKAH: Saudi King Salman said Tuesday the kingdom rejected any attempt to play politics with Haj, the annual pilgrimage which has added to tensions between Riyadh and Tehran.
For the first time in nearly three decades, Iran's 64,000 pilgrims are not attending the Haj in Saudi Arabia after the two regional rivals failed to agree on security and logistics.
Among its concerns, Riyadh said Tehran had demanded the right to organise demonstrations.