Saudi Arabia has imposed restrictions on Qataris wanting to perform this year's Haj pilgrimage.
In a statement, the Saudi Haj ministry said Qatari pilgrims arriving by plane must use airlines in agreement with the Saudi authorities.
They also needed to get visas on arrival in Jeddah or Medina, their sole points of entry in the kingdom, the ministry added.
It said Qataris and residents of the Gulf emirate could join the pilgrimage as they were already "electronically registered for the Haj" and they had the necessary permits from Riyadh and Doha.
The Haj is to take place this year at the beginning of September.
Saudi Arabia and its allies Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties and imposed sanctions on Doha in June, including the closure of their airspace to Qatari airlines.
Recently, an Arabic daily in Qatar reported that a considerable number of winners in the electronic draw for Haj have decided to cancel their plans for the pilgrimage this year.
Such people have refrained from continuing with their Haj plans as they consider the situation to be highly uncertain in view of the blockade imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, according to the daily.
Some of the companies engaged in Haj-related activities told Arrayah that a good number of people have taken back their passports and asked them to cancel their plans due to the fear that things might not go down as smoothly as before.
They also needed to get visas on arrival in Jeddah or Medina, their sole points of entry in the kingdom, the ministry added.
It said Qataris and residents of the Gulf emirate could join the pilgrimage as they were already "electronically registered for the Haj" and they had the necessary permits from Riyadh and Doha.
The Haj is to take place this year at the beginning of September.
Saudi Arabia and its allies Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties and imposed sanctions on Doha in June, including the closure of their airspace to Qatari airlines.
Recently, an Arabic daily in Qatar reported that a considerable number of winners in the electronic draw for Haj have decided to cancel their plans for the pilgrimage this year.
Such people have refrained from continuing with their Haj plans as they consider the situation to be highly uncertain in view of the blockade imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, according to the daily.
Some of the companies engaged in Haj-related activities told Arrayah that a good number of people have taken back their passports and asked them to cancel their plans due to the fear that things might not go down as smoothly as before.
