An official Saudi source denounced on Thursday Tehran’s “irresponsible action” of allowing Saudi citizens to access its territories without stamping their passports amid an outbreak of the new coronavirus in Iran.
“These actions are evidence of Iran’s direct responsibility in increasing COVID-19 infections and in the virus’ outbreak around the world,” the source was quoted as saying by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“This behavior poses a serious public health threat to the international community and undermines international efforts to combat COVID-19, putting many communities around the world at risk,” the source said.
The remarks came after the Saudi Health Ministry said that five nationals tested positive for the virus after returning from Iran via Bahrain and Kuwait without disclosing to the relevant Saudi authorities that they had traveled to Iran.
The official source urged all Saudi citizens who have visited and returned from Iran in the past weeks to immediately contact the ministry via the toll-free number (937) to take the necessary safety measures.
The official also urged citizens who are currently in Iran to immediately report their trip upon their arrival in the Kingdom.
Citizens who voluntary report their travel to Iran in 48 hours will not be subjected to the Travel Documents Law and its related regulations, SPA quoted the official as saying.
He stressed the Kingdom’s keenness on “ensuring the safety of all citizens who had visited Iran by providing them with this opportunity and refraining from any legal action against them.”
The official reaffirmed that Saudi citizens should not travel to Iran for any reason, stressing that serious legal actions will be taken against those who do so.
He also urged Iranian authorities to disclose the identities of Saudi nationals who have illegally visited Iran since February 1.
