Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday appreciated the participation of Iranian pilgrims in the great congress of the Muslim Ummah, the Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca.
In a meeting with the officials in charge of executive affairs of the Hajj, the Leader said that the active participation of a large number of Iranian nationals in the Hajj pilgrimage is a source of honor and prestige for the nation.
Elaborating on the philosophy of Hajj, Ayatollah Khamenei said that performing the Hajj ritual helps human beings purify themselves.
The Leader stated that new programs should be drawn up to enable more people to enjoy the blessing of the Hajj ritual.
"The Hajj is a precious opportunity the Almighty has bestowed upon man," he said.
Elsewhere in his remarks Ayatollah Khamenei said that with proper planning it can be arranged for pilgrims to recite the whole Qur'an during the Hajj ritual, adding that the Qur'an should be the basis of cultural-political activities.
The Leader said that after the Islamic Revolution in Iran the nation achieved many things due to the spiritual influence of Imam Mahdi (AS) and Hazrat Fatima (SA).
Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that many people become distracted by shopping for goods and souvenirs, preventing them from properly performing the Hajj ceremonies and added that something should be done to resolve the issue.
The Leader thanked the official in charge of Iranian pilgrims, Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri, and the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, Mr. Zarhani, for their efforts in making the arrangements necessary for Iranian nationals to go on pilgrimage.
He also called for the improvement of Iran-Saudi Arabia ties in order to hold better Hajj rituals.
Reyshahri said that six international conferences were held during this year's Hajj, adding that there was a good round of discussions between Shia and Sunni scholars.
Zarhani also issued a report announcing that over 96,000 Iranian pilgrims had preformed Hajj this year.