TEHRAN, Jul. 10 (MNA) – Head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Saeed Ohadi said Saudi officials promised to pay compensation to the families of Iranian victims of last year’s Mina tragedy.Speaking during a meeting on Sat. in Razavi Khorasan province, Ohadi referred to two meetings they had with Saudi officials saying they promised to pay blood money for the martyrs of crane crash before this year’s Hajj rituals and Mina martyrs after the annual pilgrimage.

Referring to Saudis’ concealment of real statistics on the number of martyrs killed in Mina, Ohadi said the country insists the number is 700, however, we all know it is more than five thousand martyrs.

“Saudi Arabia’s data on compensation to the families are significantly different from Iran’s, however, it has promised to discuss the issue after further census following this year’s rituals and to take steps to pay for compensation,” Ohadi noted.

According to the Islamic law, the responsibility of paying blood money is upon Saudi Arabia, Ohadi said adding Iran’s Foreign Ministry is responsible to follow up the issue.

He expressed hope that Saudi Arabia pay compensation to the families of martyrs according to its legal and religious duty.

By Mehr News Agency