اردو
  • First plane carrying dead from Mina stampede arrives in Iran

    The Iranian honour guard carries the caskets of Iranian pilgrims AFP The Iranian honour guard carries the caskets of Iranian pilgrims

    The first bodies of Iranians martyred in a deadly stampede at the Hajj arrived home from Saudi Arabia on Saturday, after a controversial nine-day delay and questions over the final death toll.

    President Hassan Rouhani and other top officials laid white flowers on coffins at a sombre repatriation ceremony for the 104 pilgrims — among at least 464 Iranians who martyred in the September 24 crush.

    Iranian officials have accused Saudi authorities of incompetence in their handling of safety at the Hajj, further souring relations already strained by the civil war in Syria and conflict in Yemen.

    “If it were proved that some (authorities) were guilty in this accident, we will not forgive,” Rouhani said as the bodies emerged in red caskets from a cargo plane at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran.

    The president was flanked by the heads of Iran’s judiciary and parliament as well as the chief of staff of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s office.

    “Our language in this accident was one of brotherhood and respect and the language of diplomacy was used when necessary,” said Rouhani. “If needed, the language of authority will also be used.”

    Iran has also been deeply critical of the slowness of the Saudi authorities in identifying the dead so that their bodies can be returned to their families.

    “The slightest disrespect towards tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims in Makkah and Medina and not fulfilling their obligation to transfer holy bodies will have Iran’s tough and fierce reaction,” Khamenei warned on Wednesday.

    He had previously demanded that Saudi Arabia apologise to the bereaved and to the world’s Muslims.

    Iran’s IRNA news agency quoted Health Minister Hassan Hashemi as saying on Thursday that he and his Saudi counterpart Khaled al-Falih had agreed to “speed up the repatriation process”.