Brotherly Hatred of Shia and Sunni
Saudi Arabia’s Top Cleric Says Iranians ‘Not Muslims’
Author: Leroy Wright
Sep 18, 2016, 8:27
A year after the worst hajj disaster in a generation, Saudi Arabia is issuing pilgrims with electronic bracelets and using more surveillance cameras to avoid a repeat of a crush that killed hundreds and damaged already strained ties with Iran.
Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheikh described the angry remarks from Iran’s leader as “not surprising”. “They murdered them.” Mostly Sunni Saudi Arabia and majority Shiite Iran back opposite sides of the wars in Syria and Yemen, and support opposing political groups in Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon.
In remarks published on Wednesday, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al ash-Sheikh said: “We must understand these are not Muslims“. “Their enmity toward Muslims, especially the Sunnis, is very old“.
At least 2,426 people, including 464 Iranians, were killed in the stampede.
On the topic of Iran, bin Nayef was quoted by the Saudi press agency as saying: “The Iranian authorities are the ones who are not interested in sending Iranian pilgrims for reasons made by Iranians themselves in their quest to politicize the Hajj and turn it into slogans that violate the teachings of Islam and damages the security of the Hajj and pilgrims”.
“Instead of providing medical treatment and helping them or at least quenching their thirst”.
In a statement addressed to all Muslims, Khamenei said that instead of apologizing for the stampede or allowing a Muslim worldwide body to investigate what happened, Saudi authorities accused others of wrongdoing. Khamenei said those who accuse Iran of preventing its citizens from going to hajj are “media minions” of Saudi Arabia and are reporting lies.
Khamenei wrote on his website that “Saudi rulers” had shown “oppressive behavior” toward hajj pilgrims and because of that should reconsider who manages Mecca and Medina.
AFTER Iranians were unable to make it to Saudi Arabia for annual pilgrimage due to disagreement on several issues between the two countries, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei has issued a harsh statement against the Kingdom and its leadership. He said Saudi authorities had “murdered” some of them, describing Saudi rulers as godless and irreligious. Saeed Ohadi, head of Iran’s hajj and pilgrimage organization, accused Saudi Arabia of being “domineering” during those negotiations and creating obstacles.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meanwhile met with families of victims and survivors of the Mina stampede and reiterated his demand that Saudi Arabia’s ruling Al Saud family properly investigate the disaster, IRNA reported.
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