More than 68,000 Iranian pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which begins on 4 June [Getty]
Saudi authorities have arrested a senior Iranian cleric ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage after a video allegedly surfaced in which he strongly criticised the kingdom’s religious and cultural policies.
Gholamreza Ghasemian, a prominent conservative figure linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and head of the Iranian parliament’s library and documentation centre, was detained while performing pilgrimage rites in Medina, Iranian state media reported on Monday.
The arrest reportedly came after a controversial video began circulating online, attributed to Ghasemian, in which he accused Saudi Arabia of turning the holy cities of Mecca and Medina into “centres of entertainment and moral decay”.
In the clip, he said there was “no longer any need to go to Antalya for casinos and debauchery – just come to Mecca and Medina instead”.
He also alleged that Saudi restrictions had prevented pilgrims from meaningful religious engagement during Hajj. The Saudi government has not publicly commented on the case.
Iran’s judiciary spokesman on Tuesday condemned the arrest as “unjustified and unlawful”, and said the foreign ministry would pursue the matter through diplomatic channels.
The arrest has stirred tensions during a period of cautious rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh, who restored diplomatic relations in 2023 after a seven-year rift.
Direct flights via Saudi airlines for Iranian pilgrims only resumed this month under a new bilateral agreement.
Iranian officials have recently warned pilgrims against sharing political or sectarian content online during Hajj, urging them to “respect” Saudi laws.
Addressing Hajj volunteers on Monday night, the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation, Alireza Bayat, stressed the importance of unity among Muslims and praised Saudi cooperation in facilitating the pilgrimage.
“We must all refrain from actions that could lead to division and fragmentation,” he said, calling for full compliance with local regulations.
So far, more than 68,000 Iranian pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which begins on 4 June.
