“The Al Saud (ruling family) must know that we will pursue the trial of the culprits of this crime through international courts,” Ebrahim Raeisi said on Saturday, IRIB News reported.
The official, who for years served as the deputy head of Iran’s judiciary, said the crush in the Mina valley, just outside the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, was a “crime” and it should not simply be viewed as a result of incompetence on the part of Saudi authorities.
“It is not only incompetence, but a crime,” said Raeisi, calling on the Saudi government to put those responsible on trial.
He added that Saudi officials’ closure of a road in Mina which was usually used by the pilgrims for many years was to blame for the deadly incident, saying that the move was “deliberate” and therefore safety of the pilgrims could have been ensured.
Raeisi said, however, that any potential legal action by Iran should be compounded by negotiations with attorney generals of other Islamic countries. (Source: Press TV)