Iran health minister-Hajj stampede death toll almost doubles to 464

Its death toll almost doubled to 464 from last week’s Hajj stampede, saying there was no expectation of locating pilgrims missing following the disaster.

Approximately 240 Iranians were formerly declared dead with more than 200 after last Thursday’s crush near Makkah.

An Iranian red crescent official said that those lost were likely to have expired.

Iranian health ministers and Saudi agreed after days of furious argument to repatriate Iranian pilgrims.

“Iran could function as the very first state for bodies and repatriate them,” Hashemi said.

Those unknown bodies that are definitely Iranian identified at home and could be repatriated, he included.