Diplomat: DNA Tests to Determine Fate of 25 Missing Iranian Pilgrims
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Iranian foreign ministry official underlined the ministry’s continued efforts to pursue the fate of pilgrims missed in deadly tragedy in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca, saying Saudi officials are waiting for results of DNA tests.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian reaffirmed Tehran’s resolve to follow up on the fate of the Iranian pilgrims still missing after recent deadly crush.
“We are pursuing the fate of all missing nationals through different channels,” he said Saturday, adding that, to that end, head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society had a meeting with Saudi health minister.
A September 24 crush in Mina, which happened when pilgrims from around the world were performing the Hajj rites, killed about 7500 Hajj pilgrims, including 464 Iranians.
Several Iranian pilgrims, including the country’s former ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi, are still unaccounted for after the deadly crush.
Last Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had underlined taking measures to restore the victims’ rights, and planning for appropriate moves to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies in Hajj pilgrimage in the future are on the foreign ministry’s agenda.
Saudi authorities have come under fire for their inability to ensure the safety of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who converge on Mecca every year.
The September 24 tragedy came nearly two weeks after tens of Hajj pilgrims were killed in another tragic incident in Mecca.
On September 11, a massive construction crane crashed into Mecca’s Grand Mosque in stormy weather, killing at least 107 people, including 11 Iranians, and injuring 201 others.
