Cleric's Arrest Sparks Tension Over Saudi Policy Changes

Iran's judiciary condemned the arrest of cleric Gholamreza Qassemian in Saudi Arabia after he criticized the kingdom's social reforms. The arrest raised tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, with Iran seeking Qassemian's release amid concerns about potential negative impacts on recently improved diplomatic relations.

On Tuesday, Iran's judiciary strongly criticized the detention of Gholamreza Qassemian, an Iranian cleric in Saudi Arabia, after he posted a video lambasting the country's recent social policy changes intended to attract tourism and business.

Qassemian, in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, accused the kingdom of fostering moral decay by suggesting that Riyadh might lift a longstanding alcohol ban. The judiciary labeled the arrest as 'unjustified and illegal.'

While some Iranians praised the cleric's remarks as brave, others warned it could endanger the fragile diplomatic ties restored in 2023 between the Shi'ite majority Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia.