Roundup: Iran's leader criticizes Saudi "inaction" over injured pilgrims

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday censured the Saudi Arabian officials' "inaction" in relation to the human catastrophe during the latest Hajj ceremony in the Arab state.

"Saudi Arabia did not implement its obligations in relation to the desperate injured pilgrims in the (Hajj) incident," Khamenei was quoted as saying by the state IRIB TV.

As for the transfer of the dead bodies of the Iranian pilgrims back to the country, "Saudi authorities do not stick to their obligations either and in some cases they do the opposite," he said.

The Iranian leader warned the Saudi government that Iran will give a "harsh" response if they do not take necessary measures to transfer the dead bodies of the Iranian pilgrims to the country timely.

On Tuesday, local Tasnim news agency quoted Tehran Governor General Seyed Hossein Hashemi as saying that the dead bodies of 130 Iranian pilgrims were due to be transferred to Tehran on Tuesday and a commemoration ceremony would be followed.

The Hajj stampede in Mina near Mecca on Thursday, claimed lives of at least 239 Iranian pilgrims and injured 28 others. In the incident, over 200 other Iranian pilgrims are also missing.

Khamenei further criticized Saudi authorities for what he called their failure in providing security for pilgrims, saying that they turned the festival of Eid al-Adha, or Feast of Sacrifice, which is a major religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year, into mourning.

A "fact-finding committee" should be set up and representatives from the Islamic world and Iran should carry out investigations over the incident, Khamenei went on.

According to Tsanim report on Wednesday, Iran's foreign ministry summoned Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires for the fourth time in a week to protest Riyadh's failure to deal with the aftermath of a recent crush in Mina.

In the meeting, Director General of Consular Affairs of Iranian Foreign Ministry Ali Chegini warned against any delay on the part of Riyadh in identifying the missing pilgrims and transferring the bodies of the Iranians pilgrims to the country.

Chegini stressed the need for Saudi Arabia to accept responsibility for the disaster.

On Tuesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani cut short his visit to New York and returned to Tehran on to commemorate Iranian pilgrims killed in the Hajj stampede.

Upon his arrival, Rouhani issued a decree whereby Vice President Es'hag Jahangiri was tasked to establish a committee to study the disaster.

He lashed out at Saudi Arabia's "inefficiency" as the cause of the latest Hajj stampede. "Imprudence," "inefficiency" and "tactlessness" of the Saudi Arabian government led to the death of the Muslim pilgrims, including the Iranians, Rouhani said.

"In our eyes, this incident is not something normal and it is far more important to be simply compensated financially," Rouhani was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

Iran expects the Saudi authorities to observe their legal obligations and clarify the cause of the incident, he said.

Also, Iran's government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said on Tuesday that Iran would file a complaint against Saudi Arabia for its "shortcomings" which led to the death of Iranian pilgrims during the Hajj ceremony.

Iran would sue the Saudi government via legal actions and the mechanisms in the international arena, said Nobakht, also the vice president.

Iran would spare no efforts to defend the rights of the Iranian pilgrims, the missing ones and those injured in the disaster, he added.

According to Saudi officials, over 760 Muslim pilgrims have died during the stampede at the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Thursday.

Saudi interior ministry said the crush appears to have been caused by two waves of pilgrims meeting at an intersection. Endit