Iran allays Saudi fears

RIYADH, March 15: Iran’s Foreign Minister on Saturday sought to allay Saudi fears that Iranian pilgrims would stage anti-US rallies during this year’s Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

“Rumours that Iran would encourage anti-Israel and anti-US demonstrations among its pilgrims were lies aimed at damaging relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told reporters after talks with Saudi crown prince Abdullah.

Every year Iranian pilgrims have defied a Saudi ban on demonstrations in the holy city of Mecca by holding small rallies in their living quarters. The meetings tend to condemn the US, Israel and other perceived enemies of Islam. The rallies have been a major cause of concern to the Saudi Government since 1987 when Iranian demonstrators clashed with police in Mecca and some 400 pilgrims, mostly Iranians, were killed.