Iranian Foreign Ministry to Pursue Compensation for Victims of Mina Tragedy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Foreign Ministry is tasked with pursuing compensation for the Iranian nationals killed or injured in September deadly crush in Mina, Saudi Arabia, Head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Saeed Ohadi announced.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Sunday, Ohadi pointed to the efforts that are underway to follow up on the issue of receiving compensations from Saudi Arabia, saying that a meeting was held last week among deputy foreign ministers, officials at Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization and Hojjatoleslam Seyed Ali Qazi-Askar, the representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in hajj and pilgrimage affairs.
“At the meeting, held at the office of Hojjatoleslam Qazi-Askar, ways to gain compensations for the victims of Mina tragedy were discussed,” he said.
Ohadi further emphasized that the responsibility to pursue the issue has been given to the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry and Iran’s consulate general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
According to media reports, at least 7,500 pilgrims were killed in the crush in Mina on September 24 when performing religious rites. However, Saudi Arabia says about 800 people were killed in the incident.
Iranian Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization has put the final number of Iranian pilgrims killed in the disaster at 465.
The incident 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.
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.
