Khamenei’s hostile remarks rebuffed

Manama : Bahrain House of Representatives’ Speaker Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al Mulla rejected the recent statements made by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei against Saudi Arabia and its efforts in organising the rites of Hajj.

Al Mulla stressed in a statement yesterday the trust of the Islamic World in Saudi Arabia’s capabilities and efficiency in organising the annual rite and the fifth pillar of Islam, following the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

“The role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in protecting the two Holy Mosques and pilgrims, developing the holy lands and the budgets it spends in this field prove the Kingdom’s ability to fulfill such a huge responsibility,” Al Mulla commented.

The speaker rejected the claims made by Khamenei against Saudi Arabia and considered his statements as “blatant incitement against the Kingdom and a continuation of the Iranian propaganda that aim at politicising the Hajj rites, and spreading discord and division among the Muslims during such blessed days.”

The Speaker’s statements came as a response to a set of accusations made by Khamenei, who openly called for punishing Saudi Arabia following last year’s Hajj crush and stampede that killed over 2,400 pilgrims.

Khamenei’s accusations drew wide criticism religious scholars and politicians of the Islamic world.

Al Mulla added, “These desperate Iranian attempts against Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries reflect to the world the Iranian goals to destabilise the region by any mean possible.”