Iran will hold talks with members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) during an emergency meeting of the Islamic body on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting to discuss a better handling of the Hajj rituals, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced on Saturday.

The announcement followed a Hajj stampede in Mecca on Thursday that killed about 2000 pilgrims including 136 Iranians. The stampede occurred as the pilgrims carried out a symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls.

It has been reported that the convoy of Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, had arrived at the site, forcing the pilgrims to change their original direction of movement.

Zarif, who is currently in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, also said Iran has called on Saudi Arabia to adopt necessary measures to address the issue of mismanagement of the Hajj rituals.

It is mandatory that Saudi officials take necessary measures regarding mismanagement on the part of those in charge of holding Hajj rituals, and speed up the treatment of the injured, he said.

Zarif said now Iran’s priorities are to determine the fate of the Iranian pilgrims who are still missing, transfer the bodies of those who lost their lives and ensure the safety of other Iranian pilgrims.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a statement on Thursday saying Saudi Arabia should accept responsibility for the disaster. ""Mismanagement and improper measures that caused this tragedy should not be overlooked,"" the Leader said stated.

Zarif sends message to Muslim counterparts

In a message to the foreign ministers of Muslim countries on Saturday, the Iranian foreign minister extended his condolences to Muslims and said the “painful” incident lacerated the feelings of the Islamic world and put at risk the security and safety of pilgrims.

Passive defense chief blames Mina tragedy on mismanagement

The Saudi government should be held accountable for the crush, head of Iran’s Passive Defense Organization said, noting that the tragedy could have been averted with proper management.

In a message on Saturday, Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali blamed “lack of planning and negligence in handling the Hajj affairs” for the tragic incident.

Elsewhere in his message, Jalali said the Saudi government should accept responsibility for the incidents that have happened during the annual Hajj rituals.

The Mina disaster could have been averted by proper management, unlike the crane collapse that had not been predictable, he explained.

The Iranian official added that the catastrophe highlights the necessity for cooperation among Muslim countries on planning the Hajj services and supervision of how Hajj affairs are run.

Intelligence minister says Hajj incidents should be studied in terms of security


Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi told the Tasnim news agency in interview published on Saturday that the occurrence of several incidents in less than 20 days during the Hajj rituals is something which should be studied in terms of “security and even politics”.

The Hajj crush came after a crane crash on which left about ….dead. and also some firing incidents.

The stampede was the latest in a series of incidents that have plagued the pilgrimage this year. Just two weeks ago, a crane collapse killed more than 100 visitors, and hotel fires have injured others.

Alavi said the stampede could not have happened “without any ignorance, mistake or violations” by Saudi officials.

Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, has suggested that a fact-finding committee be established to study the issue. He said the committee can comprise experts from Iran, Nigeria and Egypt.

344 Iranian pilgrims still missing

At least 136 Iranian pilgrims have lost their lives in the deadly crush, Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization chief Saeed Ohadi said on Saturday. Ohadi said 102 Iranian pilgrims have been wounded in the incident and 344 others are still missing.

He noted that Iran has set up 10 teams to identify the injured pilgrims hospitalized in the Saudi port city of Jeddah and the city of Ta’if.

Ohadi said the identification of the wounded pilgrims is difficult due to tight security in Saudi Arabia.

Efforts to transfer bodies to Iran

Director of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) Ali Asghar Ahmadi said Iran is conducting preliminary work to transfer the bodies of the dead pilgrims to the country and send medical aid to the injured.

The government plans to send a delegation, headed by Culture Minister Ali Jannati, to Saudi Arabia, he said, adding that the team would be dispatched to the country immediately after receiving visas.

He said two planes are ready to transfer the bodies of the Iranian pilgrims and those injured to the country after receiving the Saudi government’s permission.

Saudi irresponsibility in Mina disaster ‘unacceptable’

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister For Arab Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian reiterated Tehran’s position that the responsibility for the deaths of Hajj pilgrims lies with the Saudi government, calling on Riyadh not to shift the blame onto destiny.

“The Saudis’ refusal to admit responsibility for the Mina disaster is unacceptable,” Amir Abdollahian told Tasnim on Saturday.

He said mismanagement of the Hajj rituals should not be attributed to destiny.

He also deplored as “not satisfactory” the process of handling the situation in Saudi Arabia following the deadly incident.

The deputy minister noted that Saudi officials should fulfill their “humanitarian and Islamic responsibility” about the victims instead of trying to justify the negligence of their Hajj authorities.

He noted that Tehran expects Riyadh to “expedite the process of determining the fate of the missing pilgrims and provide effective help for an immediate transfer of those killed and injured” in the incident.

Iran summons Saudi envoy for third time

On Saturday the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Saudi Arabia’s charge d’affaires for the third time to receive Tehran’s official protest over Riyadh’s failure to ensure security for Hajj pilgrims.

Majlis committee to explore causes of Mina stampede

An MP said the Iranian parliament plans to investigate the cause of fatal stampede in Mina.

Speaking to IRNA, Mohammad Hassan Asafari urged the Islamic countries’ heads of state to hold an emergency meeting on the incident.

He said the catastrophe in Hajj rituals indicates the mismanagement and incapability of the Saudi officials.

Asafari criticized Saudi Arabia for just focusing on the war on Yemen rather than taking necessary measures to handle the Hajj ritual in a better way.

The MP added the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee plans to dispatch two of its members to Saudi Arabia to investigate the issue.

MD/P