TEHRAN: The Ministry An Iranian delegation was traveling to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for talks on the annual Haj pilgrimage despite a diplomatic crisis between the Gulf rivals, the official IRNA news agency reported.

“A delegation of six people will leave this afternoon for Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Saudi Minister of Haj for negotiations,” it quoted Said Ohadi, head of Iran’s Haj Organization, as saying.

“The talks will be held on Wednesday in Jeddah.”

On May 12, Culture Minister Ali Jannati, who oversees the Haj Organization, said “arrangements have not been put together” for Iranians to make this year’s pilgrimage to Makkah at the end of the summer.

Saudi Arabia has denied Tehran's accusations of blocking Iranian pilgrims.

The two countries held an unsuccessful first round of talks last month in Saudi Arabia on organizing this year’s pilgrimage for Iranians.