Body of Iranian Diplomat Identified in Saudi Arabia
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- The body of a senior Iranian diplomat missing since the Hajj stampede in Saudi Arabia in September has been identified, Iranian media said Wednesday, quashing speculation he was kidnapped.
The corpse of Iran's former ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi, 49, was identified through DNA tests, the ISNA news agency reported citing reliable sources.
"My brothers travelled to Saudi Arabia and after seeing his body announced they have identified him," the ex-diplomat's brother, Morteza, was quoted by the state television website as saying.
Roknabadi's body will be repatriated on Thursday, he added. Iranian media did not give details of how and when he died.
Roknabadi was attending this year's Hajj when the stampede broke out.
More than 2,200 people, including 464 Iranians, were killed, according to tallies given by foreign officials, in what was the deadliest disaster in the pilgrimage's history by far.
Until last year, Roknabadi was Tehran's envoy to Beirut, a highly sensitive post. The stampede created strong tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Many Iranian officials had said Roknabadi was still alive and asked Saudi Arabia to send him home.
"Our intelligence indicates that he is still alive, and we ask Saudi Arabia to return him alive," Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said in November.
Iran has criticized Saudi Arabia for failing to responsibly carry out its duties during Hajj, saying Riyadh’s incompetence in handling safety at the rituals caused the deadly incident.
The corpse of Iran's former ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi, 49, was identified through DNA tests, the ISNA news agency reported citing reliable sources.
"My brothers travelled to Saudi Arabia and after seeing his body announced they have identified him," the ex-diplomat's brother, Morteza, was quoted by the state television website as saying.
Roknabadi's body will be repatriated on Thursday, he added. Iranian media did not give details of how and when he died.
Roknabadi was attending this year's Hajj when the stampede broke out.
More than 2,200 people, including 464 Iranians, were killed, according to tallies given by foreign officials, in what was the deadliest disaster in the pilgrimage's history by far.
Until last year, Roknabadi was Tehran's envoy to Beirut, a highly sensitive post. The stampede created strong tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Many Iranian officials had said Roknabadi was still alive and asked Saudi Arabia to send him home.
"Our intelligence indicates that he is still alive, and we ask Saudi Arabia to return him alive," Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian said in November.
Iran has criticized Saudi Arabia for failing to responsibly carry out its duties during Hajj, saying Riyadh’s incompetence in handling safety at the rituals caused the deadly incident.