KHARTOUM – The Sudanese government Saturday criticized what it described as an Iranian attempt to politicize Hajj and impose conditions that could put the safety and security of pilgrims on the line.
The Foreign Ministry announced full solidarity with the Saudi Arabia ”rationale” policies in organizing the Hajj and Ummra measures to make the service easy and safe.
The Saudi authorities said on Thursday that the Iranian Hajj affairs rejected to sign minutes of an agreement on the organization of Hajj ritual this year.
A statement issued by the Hajj Ministry in the Saudi Arabia said that the Iranian side attributed the move to its desire consult its reference in Tehran first, requesting issuance of visas to pilgrims from inside Iran.
The Saudi Arabia said it has never banned the Iranians from coming to the Saudi Arabia, saying Iran wanted their pilgrims to make special rituals and congregations that could impede the movement of other pilgrims.
Sudan has severed diplomatic ties with Iran after an assault by Iranian protestors on Saudi diplomatic mission last January over the Saudi
Until last year Khartoum government was a close ally to Tehran.
However in January 2016, Sudan severed ties with Iran after an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
Previously in September 2014; the Sudanese authorities closed down the Iranians cultural centers, because it suspected the former ally of spreading its Shiite thoughts among Sudanese youth.

Source: Sudan Tribune, May 14, 2016