Tehran, April 13 (IANS): Iran has decided to suspend the Umrah Haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia until the perpetrators behind the sexual assault on two teenaged Iranian pilgrims are punished.

Speaking at a local gathering on Monday, Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati confirmed that the Haj and Pilgrimage Organisation has been ordered to suspend all Umrah Haj pilgrimages until Saudi Arabia punished the perpetrators behind the sexual assault, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.

“A large number of Iranian senior clerics have voiced their concerns over this issue and believe that the Saudi officials usually deal with the Umrah pilgrims in inappropriate ways,” he added.

Jannati said that the Saudi government had even promised capital punishment for those who assaulted the young Iranian pilgrims at Jeddah airport, but so far no concrete steps have been taken.

Iran had lodged a complaint with the Saudi government against the people who sexually harassed the two Iranian boys.