The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has blamed Iran for not evacuating its nationals who died in the stampede that claimed about 800 lives at Mina during the hajj.
It stated that the Iranian government had requested the kingdom to approve a plane for the evacuation of bodies of 465 Iranians, but failed to send the aircraft after approval was granted.
The Saudi Arabian embassy in a statement on Friday in Abuja, stated that Iran should bear responsibility for “any default regarding this issue and not the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
The Kingdom stated that it made instant provision for facilities to the relatives and governments of those who lost their lives and the injured.
It explained that it accepted to host the Iranian Minister of Health and the leader of the Iranian Red Cross and those who might accompany them in order to make them feel at ease with the health condition of Iranian pilgrims during the incident.
The statement read in part, “Similarly, the Kingdom also expressed its willingness to receive another set of Iranian officials, whom Iran requested for their arrival into the Kingdom for the same purpose.
“Clarification also needs to be made that Iran had previously requested from the kingdom to approve the arrival of a plane which would convey the (dead) bodies of Iranian pilgrims, the kingdom granted approval, but the Iranians have not taken any step regarding the issue after approval was granted.”
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