TEHRAN – Millions of Iranians marked Eid al-Adha on Monday while remembering the memory of 464 Iranian pilgrims who lost their lives during a hajj stampede in Mina in September 2015, which Tehran blamed on the organizers’ incompetence. 

Iranian pilgrims could not participate in this year’s hajj ritual due to Saudis’ reluctance to give “guarantees” to Iran over the security of its pilgrims. 

Performing hajj is an obligation for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it at least once.   

On Friday, thousands of Iranians took to the streets in the capital city Tehran and other cities, demanding the Saudi government to shoulder responsibility for the crush. 

The two, who disagree on a list of other regional challenges including the Syrian conflict, have grown increasingly unfriendly toward each other, particularly over the past few days as Iranians marked the first anniversary of the Mina stampede. 

The Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, in an announcement on Monday, censured Riyadh for the incident. 

“We mark the first anniversary of the painful and heart-wrenching Mina tragedy as well as celebrate Eid al-Adha while the people of the Islamic Iran, Muslims across the world, and all vigilant consciences continue to mourn the loss of the innocent victims of the (Mina) incident…” 

Larijani further called for establishment of a fact-finding committee to look into the tragedy. 

“It is befitting that the Islam world and all high-minded international communities listen to their vigilant conscience and put on agenda formation of a fact-finding committee for the incident,” the top lawmaker noted.  

However, Riyadh has so far declined to cooperate with Iran on the issue, though Tehran has proposed initiatives to mend the fences over the impasse, as stressed by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. 

“Unfortunately, after the improper storming of Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran, the Saudi regime has used it as a pretext to close all bilateral channels to follow up on terrible consequences of the incident and has not replied to all initiatives and attempts of the Islamic Republic of Iran including bilateral attempts, the formation of an international, Islamic fact-finding committee with the cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and even brotherly and voluntary attempts of some Islamic countries of the region with the goal of escaping the responsibility and apologizing the inflicted people and compensating the damage,” Zarif explained. 

Also, head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Saeed Owhadi said on Saturday that Iran will do its utmost to follow up on the rights of the Mina crush victims.

Owhadi said that the Islamic Republic will pursue the stampede case through legal and political channels.

The fiercest remarks, however, were made by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on last Wednesday who lambasted the Saudis for mismanagement of the hajj ritual. 

"The incompetence of the Saudis and the insecurity imposed by them against the hajj pilgrims to the House of God indeed demonstrated that this government is not qualified to manage the Two Holy Mosques and this reality must be spread in the Muslim world and be understood," the Leader asserted. 

Although Saudi Arabia has got off scot-free so far, if Tehran takes the case to international arbitration, then Riyadh has to pay off both politically and financially.

Yet, it remains to be seen how Riyadh will react to save its international face. 

AK/PA