Saudi grand mufti: Hajj fatalities ‘out of human control’

“That is an increase of 52 on the previous figures”, Saudi health minister Khalid al-Falih told a news conference. The death of more than 1,000 people is not a small issue.

The Iranian minister also slammed Saudi Arabia’s inability to manage the Hajj pilgrimage, saying such failure appears to be natural for a country that is engaged in wars against Yemen and Syria and keeps supporting the ISIL terrorist group.

Iran’s state prosecutor says he will pursue legal action against Saudi Arabia’s rulers in global courts.

Saudi Arabia on Friday suggested pilgrims ignoring crowd control rules bore some blame for a crush that killed over 700 people at the Hajj pilgrimage in the annual event’s worst disaster for 25 years.

“The Iranian government should follow up this case in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and ask for shared management of the holy sites in Mecca and Medina during haj”, lawmakers said in a statement published by Fars news agency.

On Saturday, Saudi Arabia categorically denied “misleading and distorted allegations” about road closures that it believes started through Iranian state-controlled media.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani demanded an investigation into a crush in his speech at the United Nations on Saturday. It is, at least, a little disconcerting Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars over the years helping to make the Hajj experience more secure in some areas only to have the stampede happen in another area. “Those are the ones who died in various hospitals since the event”, he said, adding that 934 people were wounded. According to the TV report, 134 Iranian pilgrims died and 85 were injured in the Thursday incident, while 354 Iranian pilgrims remain missing.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all able-bodied Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives. “Many are envious of the kingdom for its religion, leadership, economy and the cohesion of its members, and for the great blessings it has experienced, unlike many other countries”, he said.

The millions of pilgrims must perform a litany of rituals in five days, including the symbolic stoning of the devil in the neighborhood of Mina, just two miles from the Mecca holy site. The latter is much larger and has also seen its share of tragic events – including stampedes.

“That actually was time for Turkish pilgrims to come out”, the Saudi Gazzette said quoting the newspaper.