Iran’s investigation into a deadly stampede in Saudi Arabia in 2015 has shown that it was not orchestrated, a senior official said, adding that the case involving the death of hundreds of Iranian pilgrims in the incident is being followed up through legal channels.
“Our investigation has shown that the Mina incident was not intentional,” the Leader’s representative for hajj and pilgrimage affairs, Seyyed Ali Qazi-Askar, told ISNA in an interview published on Tuesday.
Lack of Foresight
However, there was “a lack of foresight” by Saudi authorities, he said, adding, “We have prepared documentation of the incident and interviews were conducted with 800 pilgrims.”
In the worst disaster to strike the annual hajj pilgrimage in 25 years, at least 464 Iranians lost their lives during the 2015 crush that claimed as many as 2,400 lives, according to body counts from several countries or even double or more than that figure according to some officials.
Saudi authorities gave an initial tally of 770 deaths and then stopped counting the dead as the toll rose.
Add new comment