Thursday, September 24, 2015

Tehran accuses Saudi of safety errors after deadly stampede

Iran accused Saudi Arabia of safety errors after at least 43 of its citizens died Thursday in a stampede that killed several hundred pilgrims during the annual hajj ceremonies.

After saying the kingdom was responsible for the tragedy, Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said Saudi's envoy to Tehran would be summoned to the foreign ministry.

The head of Iran's hajj organisation, Said Ohadi, said that, for "unknown reasons," two paths had been closed off near the site of a symbolic stoning of the devil ritual where the stampede occurred.

"This caused this tragic incident," he said on state television.

The names of all Iranians killed in the stampede were read out in a sombre live broadcast in Tehran by a spokesman for the hajj organisation.

Saudi's civil defence service has said at least 717 people were killed and 805 hurt.

Ohadi said the path closures had left only three routes to the area where the stoning ceremony was held in Mina, about five kilometres (three miles) from Mecca.

As well as the dead, at least 60 Iranians were injured, he said.

"Today's incident shows mismanagement and lack of serious attention to the safety of pilgrims," said Ohadi. "There is no other explanation. The Saudi officials should be held accountable."

Abdollahian also accused Saudi officials of "tactlessness" over the lack of safety measures at the hajj.

"We can in no way be indifferent to this irresponsible behaviour of Saudi Arabia. This will be dealt with through diplomatic channels," he said on state television.

Saudi Health Minister Khaled al-Falih has blamed undisciplined pilgrims for the tragedy, saying it could have been avoided if they had "followed instructions."

Iran has set up a special headquarters at the accident site to support Iranian pilgrims.

"Saudi Arabian officials are responsible for this incident and they should immediately endeavour to take effective measures for managing the existing crisis and providing full security for pilgrims," Abdollahian told the official IRNA news agency.

 Agence France Presse
dailystar.com.lb
24/9/15
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1 comment:

  1. Le drame de La Mecque ravive les tensions entre l'Iran et l'Arabie saoudite...

    La bousculade, qui a tué plus de 700 fidèles dont plus 130 Iraniens, jeudi, près de La Mecque, ravive les tensions entre Riyad et Téhéran. Le guide suprême iranien dénonce les négligences des autorités saoudiennes dans l'organisation du pèlerinage.

    Les critiques de l'Iran n’ont pas tardé à fuser, quelques heures après la bousculade qui a tué près de 720 pèlerins dont 90 citoyens iraniens, non loin La Mecque, à Mina. Téhéran a en effet accusé, jeudi 24 septembre, dans la soirée, l'Arabie saoudite de failles dans la sécurité.

    L'Iran chiite et l'Arabie saoudite sunnite ne cessent de s'opposer sur bien des dossiers, dont celui de la situation en Syrie, du Yémen ou de la lutte contre l’organisation de l’État islamique. L'organisation du pèlerinage de La Mecque est un contentieux de plus entre les deux poids-lourds de la région.

    Le guide suprême iranien, l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, est monté au créneau pour dénoncer des "mesures inappropriées" et une "mauvaise gestion" des autorités saoudiennes selon lui à l'origine du drame. "Le gouvernement d'Arabie saoudite doit accepter l'énorme responsabilité de cette catastrophe", a indiqué le dirigeant, cité par l'agence Irna, qui a, par ailleurs, annoncé un deuil de trois jours dans le pays.

    "Un manque sérieux concernant la sécurité"

    Exhortant les autorités saoudiennes à protéger ceux qui participent au hajj, l'ayatollah Khamenei a également estimé que les causes de la bousculade "ne devraient pas être négligées".

    Le chef de l'organisation iranienne du hajj Saïd Ohadi avait jugé plus tôt que l'incident était notamment le résultat d'un "manque de sérieux concernant la sécurité des pèlerins".

    Le vice-ministre des Affaires étrangères iranien Amir Abdollahian a indiqué que le représentant de l'Arabie saoudite en Iran serait convoqué au ministère des Affaires étrangères à Téhéran pour s'expliquer sur l'accident.................http://www.france24.com/fr/20150925-arabie-saoudite-drame-mecque-tensions-teheran-ryad-iran
    25/9/15

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