Marzieh Afkham who was reacting to remarks by Adel al-Jubayr, Saudi Arabian foreign minister in interview with Saudi Al-Arabiya TV Network, described the remarks as ‘unconstructive,’ reiterating the sheer incompetence in part of Saudi officials during Mina incident; “the remarks by the eyewitnesses and injured pilgrims belies the veneer adopted by Saudi Arabian officials in reaction to the event, and indicate the incompetence and irresponsibility of the regime’s authorities,” Afkham told reporters on Tuesday evening. “We recommend the Saudi officials to accept the responsibility for the disaster and offer an apology for all Muslim nations to avoid further defiling of its public image in the eyes of the international community,” She added.
“Currently, identification of the missing pilgrims in Mina is a priority for the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Saudi Arabia should show all-out cooperation as the host country of Hajj pilgrimage rites,” she told reporters.
Afkham denounced what she called was Saudi Arabian foreign minister’s ‘unhelpful and irrelevant’ remarks about developments in Yemen and Syria; “such armed interference in Syria and Yemen would only spread extremism and instability in Arab and Islamic countries further and will destroy these countries’ infrastructures; it is unfortunate to say that Saudi Arabia has been a major contributor to the fire of sectarianism and violence through its belligerent policies,” she asserted. “Just while thousands of Hajj pilgrims have been killed and injured or still missing, Saudi Arabia has targeted a wedding ceremony in Yemen, killing hundreds of civilians; the international community should act responsibly and more seriously to stop the warmongering and killing of civilians,” she further demanded.