Egyptian preacher Gholamreza Ghasemian, who was detained for his contentious “obscene music,” was released on Thursday, according to ISNA. Following a video that went viral, Saudi authorities detained Ghasemian on Monday while he was carrying out ritual rites in Mecca. Ghasemian, who was dressed in a light trip coat, had accused the Saudi government of “making the Qibla a place for gaming houses, centers of drunkenness, and vulgar concerts” in a veiled assault on the state. His remarks made reference to the de facto ruler of the kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, making new social adjustments. Following work by Iranian authorities to secure his discharge, ISNA confirmed that Gholamreza Ghasemian is now on his way back to Iran.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi before on Tuesday night, in response to the arrest, said on X:” Iran in no uncertain terms condemns any attempt to harm Muslim unity, especially in the spiritual environment of the hajj. We are steadfast in our commitment to destroy all ties with our fraternal neighbors, including Iran and Saudi Arabia’s progress, Araghchi continued. Asghar Jahangir, a spokesman for the Iranian courts, expressed his private opinions when he described the monk’s arrest as “unjustified and unlawful.” Iran and Saudi Arabia have strained relationships as a result of the disagreement. Riyadh has then suspended the release of Hajj permits for Iranians, according to the Iran Wire. Egyptian travellers who are participating in this year’s Hajj are affected by Riyadh’s decision.
