Cleric Urges Muslims to Put Aside Differences in Time of Hajj Pilgrimage

TEHRAN (FNA)- A senior Iranian cleric called on Shiite and Sunni authorities to put aside differences during the time of hajj pilgrimage, reminding that the Islamic ritual should show Muslim unity more than anything else.
Ali Ghazi-Asgar, Iran's top hajj official, said the pilgrimage should be a "symbol of unity" and "differences should not be mentioned there".

He urged both Iranian and Saudi religious leaders and media not to fan tensions between the two countries ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca next month.

"I call on all Friday prayer leaders and media in the two countries not to stir up tensions and differences," he told pilgrims over the weekend.

Iran publicly condemned Saudi intervention for sending troops into Bahrain and Yemen to help the ruling al-Khalifa and Bin Saleh regimes against protesters.

Iran has not officially accused Saudi rulers of any intervention in Syria, but analysts say Tehran is referring to Saudi Arabia when it condemns "foreign intervention" in the country.

Saudi Arabia last week blamed a foreign power - a clear reference to Iran - for provoking its minority Shiite population against Riyadh rule.

Tehran has not yet officially commented on the indirect allegation.

"Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are tense but the two countries are careful not to go too far against each other," said a former Iranian official.

Each year Iranian pilgrims stage a hajj protest outside their camps called "distancing from infidels" in which they condemn the policies of the US and Israel in the region.

Mr. Ghazi-Asgar, who is also the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for the hajj, said that the "the legitimate task" of all Muslims was to behave in such a way that "no problem is created on the way of pilgrims".