Saudi medical team saves life of Iranian Hajj pilgrim in Makkah

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Iranian pilgrim Hussain Qasmi Jalmrazy is shown recovering at the emergency room of Makkah's King Abdullah Medical City on Saturday. (Screen grab from Al Ekhbariyah TV video)
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The patient recovered, is currently in good health, and will be able to return safely to perform his pilgrimage and complete his Hajj rituals. (SPA)
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Updated 04 July 2022
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Saudi medical team saves life of Iranian Hajj pilgrim in Makkah

  • The medical team offered to perform an open heart operation, but the patient refused this medical procedure

MAKKAH: A specialized team from Makkah’s King Abdullah Medical City has successfully performed an emergency cardiac catheterization procedure to save the life of an Iranian pilgrim on Saturday, the Saudi Ministry of Health said.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency early Sunday, the ministry said that the Hajj pilgrim was taken to the hospital's emergency department when he complained of severe chest pain while he was on his way to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform prayers.




A digital copy of the Iranian pilgrim's Hajj tag, shared on social media by Ekhbariyah TV.

The patient was identified in his Hajj tag as Hussain Qasmi Jalmrazy, from Isfahan in central Iran.

Specialists performed an urgent diagnostic catheterization after examination results "showed the presence of blockage of more than two arteries in the heart," according to the Health Ministry.

The medical team offered to perform an open heart operation, but the patient refused this medical procedure. It was then decided to insert stents instead in the damaged arteries, enabling the patient to recover and continue his pilgrimage, the statement said.

King Abdullah Medical City, with full the support from the Saudi government, offers specialized health care for all Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

A million Muslims from around the world will perform the Hajj this year, up from only 60,000 vaccinated pilgrims in 2021 and a symbolic 1,000 pilgrims in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 


Saudi Arabia, UAE and allies condemn Gaza ceasefire violations

Updated 34 min 59 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia, UAE and allies condemn Gaza ceasefire violations

  • They joined Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, who on Saturday also condemned ongoing violations

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday led renewed regional condemnation of Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire in Gaza, which have resulted in the killing and wounding of more than 1,000 Palestinians.

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the Kingdom, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkiye said the breaches represented a dangerous escalation that risked inflaming tensions and undermining efforts to restore calm and stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They joined Qatar, Jordan and Egypt, who on Saturday condemned what they described as ongoing ceasefire violations and warned they threatened de-escalation efforts and regional stability.

The ministers said the latest developments come at a critical moment, as regional and international efforts intensify to advance the second phase of the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and implement UN Security Council Resolution 2803, SPA added.

They warned that the repeated violations pose a direct threat to the political process and could derail attempts to create the conditions for a more stable phase in Gaza, both in security and humanitarian terms. They stressed the need for full adherence to the ceasefire to ensure the success of the next phase of the peace plan.

The statement called on all parties to assume their responsibilities during this sensitive period, exercise maximum restraint, sustain the ceasefire, and avoid any actions that could undermine current diplomatic efforts. It also urged steps to facilitate early recovery and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

Reaffirming their commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, the ministers said this must be based on the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state, in line with international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.