Qatari Nationals Not Allowed to Perform Umrah
TEHRAN (IQNA) – Saudi Arabia has reportedly expelled a number of Qatari citizens who had entered the kingdom to perform Umrah (minor Hajj).
According to Al-Jazeera, the 20 Qatari nationals were stranded at the Jeddah airport for two days before being sent to Kuwait.
They were not allowed to go to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina for pilgrimage.
Relations between Riyadh and Doha have been tense since the two capitals differed sharply over policies with the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council.
In June, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced they had severed ties with Qatar, sealing off the emirate's only land border in the wide-ranging boycott.
They accuse Qatar’s government of supporting extremism and fostering close ties with Iran.
Qatar denies the charges, claiming the dispute is an attack on its sovereignty. Both sides refuse to back down.
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