TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy foreign minister for consular affairs has said that the Iranian pilgrims missing in Saudi Arabia might have been killed or injured while staying in Saudi hospitals or even arrested when the stampede happened.

“By the passage of time, we will have less hope that the missing pilgrims might be alive,” said Hassan Qashqavi when asked about the status of missing pilgrims, Mehr reported on Monday.

Describing the latest measures taken to track the status of the former Iranian ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi, Qashqavi said, “Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seriously pursuing Roknabadi’s situation in Saudi Arabia as a well-known figure in the region.”

On possible abduction of Roknabadi in Saudi Arabia and his transfer to the occupied territories, Ghashghavi stated, “These are only speculations but they cannot be denied or confirmed with certainty.”

“I have visited Mina and the site of the accident in person and Roknabadi’s abduction is unlikely because the kidnappers could have died in the incident,” he added.

SP/P