Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Head Denies French Mediation in Mina Case

Saeed Ohadi, the head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, denied reports of French mediation in the Mina incident just one day after mentioning it. On Tuesday, he emphasized that he had not spoken about any country's mediation regarding the Mina tragedy. This denial came despite his previous statement during a live television program, where he mentioned that good follow-ups had been made through France and that a delegation from Iran's Foreign Ministry would soon travel to France for these follow-ups. ISNA news agency also reported on Wednesday, citing an 'informed source' from the Foreign Ministry, that French mediation to resolve the Mina case between Iran and Saudi Arabia was baseless. Ohadi further stated that the Saudi government had not yet paid 'blood money' to the victims' families of the Mina incident and the crane collapse. Survivors of the Mina tragedy confirmed that despite reports of compensation, they had not received any payments. According to Ohadi, due to the severed relations between the two countries, the Islamic Republic lacks access to Saudi 'information resources' regarding the Mina incident and can only rely on its own resources. On September 20, 2015, at least 110 people died in a crane collapse at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, including 11 Iranians. A few months later, hundreds died during the stampede at the Hajj rituals, with the Islamic Republic claiming at least 460 of the casualties were Iranian. These incidents occurred amid intense regional rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In January of the previous year, Saudi Arabia executed dozens of individuals accused of terrorism and links to Al-Qaeda, including Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a prominent Shia leader in Saudi Arabia. His execution sparked outrage in the Islamic Republic, leading to protests where demonstrators attacked and set fire to the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad. This incident resulted in Saudi Arabia severing diplomatic relations with Iran, and several other Arab-Islamic countries followed suit or reduced their ties with the Islamic Republic. The case against the attackers of the Saudi embassy is currently under investigation in court.