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Mystery continues over Iran's missing ambassador

The case of Ghazanfar Roknabadi, Iran's former Lebanon ambassador missing since the September hajj stampede, will be taken to the United Nations, according to Iranian officials.

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Ghazanfar Roknabadi (C) stands with the leader of Lebanon's Higher Relief Committee at the port of Beirut, Jan. 23, 2013, when Roknabadi was Iran's ambassador to Lebanon. — REUTERS/Sharif Karim

The Sept. 24 stampede in the Saudi Arabian city of Mina during the hajj pilgrimage has become another fault line in the Middle East’s most contentious rivalry. Iran, which suffered 464 deaths in the tragedy, had one of the highest death tolls. The Associated Press reports total fatalities of 2,177, a figure disputed by Saudi officials, who place the number at 769.

Most troublesome for Iran, 28 individuals are still unaccounted for, including Iran’s former ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi.

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