Top Iran leader warns of ‘harsh’ measures over hajj disaster

Iranian-Saudi tensions intensified Wednesday as Tehran threatened a “fierce” response over delays in repatriating hajj stampede victims and the Saudi-led coalition said it had seized an Iranian boat carrying arms for Yemeni rebels. At least 239 Iranians died in last week’s tragedy near the Muslim holy city of Mecca and another 241 are listed as missing. Tehran has accused Riyadh of hindering its efforts to bring the bodies home.

Saudi officials are failing to do their duties. They should know that the slightest disrespect towards tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims in Mecca and Medina and not fulfilling their obligation to transfer holy bodies will have Iran’s tough and fierce reaction.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said that among the missing was Ghazanfar Roknabadi, 49, the country’s former ambassador to Lebanon, a highly sensitive post. The two rivals in the oil-rich Gulf were already at odds over Iran’s support for Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen, which lies on Saudi Arabia’s southern flank. That prompted Riyadh to form a coalition of Arab nations to combat the Huthis. Last week, Tehran also claimed Riyadh had failed to issue visas for Iranian officials who sought to travel to Saudi Arabia to facilitate the repatriation of the dead and the injured.

World Hajj