Iranian cleric Gholamreza Ghasemian, who was arrested for his controversial ‘obscene concerts’ remarks, was freed by the Saudi government on Thursday, ISNA reported. Saudi authorities arrested Ghasemian on Monday while he was performing rituals of the hajj in Mecca after a video went viral. In a veiled attack on the Saudi government, Ghasemian, dressed in a white pilgrimage robe, had accused them of turning the Qibla -– the direction Muslims face in prayer -– into “a place for gambling houses, centres of debauchery, and obscene concerts”.His comments referred to the social changes made in recent years by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader.ISNA confirmed that Gholamreza Ghasemian is currently on his way back to Iran, following efforts by Iranian officials to secure his release.

Earlier, reacting to the arrest, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, on Tuesday evening, said on X, “Iran in no uncertain terms condemns any attempt to harm Muslim unity, particularly in the spiritual atmosphere of the hajj.”“We are determined to not allow anyone to sabotage relations with our brotherly neighbours, including the progressive path of Iran and Saudi Arabia”, Araghchi added.Expressing his personal opinions, Iranian judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir described the cleric’s arrest as “unjustified and unlawful”.The controversy has strained ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. According to the Iran Wire, Riyadh has now suspended Hajj visas issuance for Iranians. Riyadh’s move has affected Iranian pilgrims participating in this year’s Hajj.