Iran, which lost 5 nationals in the Itaewon tragedy, criticizes "poor on-site management by the Korean government"

Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Criticizes "Korean Government Should Have Managed the Event"
Also Condemns Korean Government's Concerns Over 'Hijab Protests' in Iran

Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] Iran criticized the South Korean government's poor on-site management regarding the large-scale crush disaster that occurred in Itaewon, Seoul on the 29th.

Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular press conference held both online and offline on the 31st (local time), "Unfortunately, five Iranians lost their lives in this accident," and criticized, "If the South Korean government knew how to manage it, they should have managed the (Halloween) event."

He added, "We hope the South Korean government can respond to the situation, including the issue of the injured, with a systematic plan," and "Iran has expressed condolences on a humanitarian level."

The foreign nationals who lost their lives in the Itaewon disaster were 26 people from 14 countries. By nationality, Iran had the highest number with five, followed by China and Russia with four each, the United States and Japan with two each, and France, Australia, Norway, Austria, Vietnam, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka with one each.

Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated on the 31st, "We are reviewing possible support for foreign casualties on par with our citizens."

On the same day, appearing before the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, he offered condolences to the victims of the Itaewon disaster in his opening remarks and said, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials are assigned one-to-one to the deceased to coordinate with the bereaved families and take necessary measures."

Iranians protesting against the suspicious death of a woman not wearing a hijab. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, following his criticism related to the Itaewon disaster, Minister Kanaani also sharply criticized recent concerns expressed by the South Korean government regarding the 'hijab protests' in Iran.

Regarding concerns about harsh crackdowns, he said, "This is the result of pressure from the West, including the United States, on South Korea," and accused, "They (South Korea) hold an unconstructive and irresponsible stance on Iran's internal issues."

In Tehran and major cities in Iran, protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini (22), who was arrested for not properly wearing a hijab, have continued for over a month.

In this regard, on the 28th, a South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated, "The government is concerned about the situation of women's human rights in Iran and the prolonged harsh suppression of protests, and is participating in the international community's response."

The semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on the 31st (local time) that the Iranian judiciary has prosecuted 1,000 people in Tehran alone for illegal acts related to the recent ongoing protests. The Iran Human Rights (IHR), a human rights organization headquartered in Norway, has counted that over 3,000 people have been arrested nationwide due to anti-government protests in Iran, and at least 250 have died due to government crackdowns.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.