Iranian official: France to mediate to resolve differences with Saudi

France will play the role of mediator in resolving some of the differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation revealed yesterday.

Saeed Ohadi told the ISNA news agency that Iran will use France to mediate with Saudi Arabia and compensate the families of Iranian victims who were killed during the Mina stampede last year.

“Although the Saudi Arabian authorities have been avoiding the negotiations so far, a delegation from the Iranian Foreign Ministry will soon travel to France to pursue the matter, and we hope that negotiations will reach a result by the anniversary of the incident,” Ohadi said.

Iran claims more than 460 of its nationals were among the thousands of pilgrims who died in the 24 September stampede in Mina, near Makkah, during the pilgrimage.