Iran Urges UN to Remind Saudis of Duties after Mina Tragedy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani deplored the Saudi government’s poor handling of the situation after a recent deadly crush of Hajj pilgrims in Mina, calling on the UN chief to remind Riyadh of its legal responsibilities for the catastrophe.
“Unfortunately, the Saudi government does not show the necessary cooperation to address the condition of those missing (in the crush), and to transfer the dead bodies and the injured, and it is necessary for the United Nations secretary general to remind the Riyadh government of its legal and humanitarian duties in this regard,” President Rouhani said in a meeting with UN Chief Ban Ki-moon in New York on Saturday.
His comments came following the deaths of around 2,000 Hajj pilgrims in a Thursday crush in Mina outside the Saudi city of Mecca when performing religious rites.
For his part, the UN chief extended condolences to President Rouhani over the deaths of Iranian pilgrims in the incident.
With the death toll rising, many pilgrims are still unaccounted for in the crush that marked the worst ever Hajj disaster.
144 Iranian pilgrims have been pronounced dead so far, and scores of others have been wounded.
Experts say a remarkable reduction in the number of Saudi forces in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage has caused frequent incidents in the Kingdom.
Less than two weeks before the Mina disaster, a massive construction crane had also crashed into Mecca’s Grand Mosque in stormy weather, killing more than 100 people, including 11 Iranians, and injuring 201 others.
