A month after dozens of Shia Saudi pilgrims were poisoned in Mashhad and reports emerged about the possibility of this incident being intentional, the political deputy of Khorasan Razavi governor emphasized on Wednesday that the incident was 'unintentional'. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Mohsen Sadeghi, the deputy governor, stated on Wednesday, July 7, that 'this issue was based on negligence in the spraying of the hotel, which unfortunately was done using non-standard methods.' Mr. Sadeghi also mentioned that the case inspector would issue a ruling about the accused based on forensic evidence and other investigations, and 'we must wait for the court results.' These statements come after Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi, Iran's Minister of Health, said on Monday, June 8, that the likelihood of the incident being intentional 'is greater than it being unintentional... unless proven otherwise.' Reports indicate that after 33 Shia Saudi pilgrims residing in the three-star Towhid hotel in Mashhad were poisoned on Sunday, June 8, four of them, including a 12-year-old teenager and three infants aged two months, five months, and eight months, died. Following this incident, Mehr News Agency reported that the news of the poisoning 'led to many baseless speculations about the intentionality of this incident becoming prominent in public discussions.' However, Gholamali Sadeqi, the prosecutor of Mashhad, stated on June 8 that no evidence of 'intent' in the poisoning of these individuals had been found. Meanwhile, Ali-Asghar Hosseini, the head of the health group at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, said that 'based on investigations, hotel officials on the fifth floor of this hotel sprayed using aluminum phosphide tablets (organophosphorus pesticides), which caused gas from this poison to spread to other floors and resulted in the poisoning of several Arabic-speaking pilgrims.' Ali Mozaffari, the head of the judiciary in Khorasan Razavi province, also mentioned rice tablets as the poison used in this hotel. Previously, Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's Attorney General, reported the arrest of five individuals in connection with this incident and the closure of the hotel where it occurred. Following this incident, on Thursday, July 2, 46 students who had traveled from Qom to Mashhad were poisoned due to 'consuming spoiled food.'
The poisoning incident of Saudi pilgrims in Mashhad was 'unintentional'
The poisoning of Saudi pilgrims in Mashhad has been declared unintentional by local officials, following initial speculation of intentionality. The incident resulted in the death of four individuals, including children, and has led to arrests and investigations into hotel management practices. This matter raises concerns about safety and the treatment of foreign visitors in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
A poisoning incident involving Shia Saudi pilgrims in Mashhad was declared unintentional by Iranian officials, attributed to negligence in pesticide use at a hotel. The incident resulted in four deaths, including children, and led to arrests and investigations.
- 33 Shia Saudi pilgrims were poisoned, resulting in four deaths.
- The incident was attributed to improper use of aluminum phosphide tablets at the hotel.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran and Saudi Arabia have a complex relationship, often marked by sectarian and political tensions. Incidents involving citizens from either country can have broader diplomatic implications.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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