Iran Asks Saudis to Return Bodies of 59 Killed in Mecca
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NICOSIA, Cyprus — Iran on Thursday asked Saudi Arabia to return the bodies of 59 Iranians killed in clashes in Mecca last summer during the annual pilgrimage to the holy Muslim city, Tehran radio reported.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Marwan Bashir al Rumi, the Saudi charge d’affaires, early Thursday and demanded that the bodies of 59 “matryrs of Black Friday” be returned to Iran, the radio said.
The bodies are still lying in morgues in Mecca, the radio said.
There was no immediate response from the Saudis.
More than 400 people, mainly Iranians, died in clashes in Mecca on July 31, when thousands of Iranian pilgrims took part in a political march in the holy city, despite warnings from Saudi authorities.
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