WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, Reuter: The United States condemned as “baseless” today Iranian charges that Washington was behind violence against pilgrims in Mecca where more than 400 have been reported killed! In riots.
Fee The United States wishes to make clear that it has not been involved in any way in the recent violence in Mecca”, Staff Department spokesman Sondra McCarty “said in a statement.
“Iranian charges that the United States is responsible for yesterday’s violence against pilgrims in Mecca are totally baseless and the government in Tehran knows it”, he statement said.
An official statement read on Saudi television ‘said the dead from yesterday’s violence in the Moslem holy city were 85 Saudi citizens and security men, 275 Iranians and 42 Moslem pilgrims of other nationalities,
The violence in Mecca yesterday has added to tensions in the gulf region were U.S. navy warships resumed an escort of the reflagged Kuwaiti natural gas carrier Gas Prince today.
“Iran’s false charges are designed to inflame passions and escalate tensions in support of Iran’s political aims at destabilizing the region”, the U.S. statement said. “It is tragic that demonstrations in Mecca have resulted in injury and loss of life. We hope the situation will remain calm and peaceful”.
Separately, in response to a question, the State Department spokesman said that Iran “is responsible” for protecting diplomatic missions in Tehran and that the United States was concerned about press reports Iranians raided the Saudi embassy, burned the Kuwaiti embassy and demonstrated at the French embassy in response to the Mecca situation.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 7, 1987
