Tehran: Mina crush was ‘beyond human control’

JEDDAH: Iran’s health minister has praised Saudi Arabia’s rescue and medical efforts after the stampede in Mina last week.
Hassan Hashimi, at a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Khalid Al-Falih in Jeddah on Wednesday, said that the Kingdom’s ambulance and other teams had done well to transport the injured to hospitals in the region.
Hashimi said the incident was out of human control and that people should surrender to the will of Allah. He praised the Kingdom for the services it provides every year for pilgrims under difficult circumstances.
The parties agreed to ensure that the Iranians who died in the stampede would be sent home as soon as possible, and provide continued care for those hospitalized with injuries.
Al-Falih sent the condolences of the Saudi government and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to the Iranian people for their loss. He said the Kingdom was willing to cooperate with the Iranian government on the matter.
The statements of the Iranian minister comes in the wake of the Kingdom criticizing sections of Iranian society for trying to politicize the crane crash in Makkah and the Mina stampede, which saw the loss of hundreds of lives.
Meanwhile, Al-Falih held a meeting with Egyptian Health Minister Ahmed Emad Al-Deen Radi to discuss the situation of injured Egyptian pilgrims. Al-Falih said the Kingdom was providing them top quality services.