Iran Bans All Products From Saudi Arabia, Prohibits ‘Umrah Pilgrimage’ Till Further Notice

Bahraini women carried pictures of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, the Saudi Shiite cleric executed by Saudi Arabia, during a protest near the capital, Manama, on Sunday. Credit Mohammed Al-Shaikh/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

As tensions between the two countries erupt this week into a full-blown diplomatic crisis, Iran has on Thursday, January 7, banned all products from Saudi Arabia with immediate effect.

Shiite-dominated Iran made this known following Saudi’s (main Sunni power) cutting off of diplomatic ties.

“The cabinet has banned the entry of all Saudi products and products from Saudi Arabia,” the government said in a statement issued on Thursday, January 7.

The government also noted that a ban on Iranians travelling to the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the umrah pilgrimage was also in place “until further notice”.

The decision was made in a cabinet meeting chaired by President Hassan Rohani.