125 Iranians die in incident – Khamenei

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has declared three days of national mourning following the deaths of hundreds of Hajj pilgrims, including at least 125 Iranian nationals in Saudi Arabia.

While Saudi authorities say 717 people have been killed while Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization puts the death toll at more than 1,300.

“Offering condolences to the bereaved [families of killed pilgrims], I declare three days of national mourning in the country,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a message on Thursday.

“The Saudi government is obligated to shoulder its heavy responsibility in this bitter incident and meet its obligations in compliance with the rule of righteousness and fairness. Mismanagement and improper measures that were behind this tragedy should not be overlooked,” the Leader said.

The administration of President Hassan Rouhani also issued a statement, noting that the Saudi government is responsible for the consequences of disregard of its obligation of guaranteeing security for the pilgrims.

It called on the Saudi government to “identify the factors that caused this incident”, help repatriate the bodies of the dead to Iran quickly and provide treatment to the injured.

Earlier, the head of Iran’s Hajj organisation, Said Ohadi, said that for “unknown reasons” two paths had been closed off near the scene of the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual where the accident later took place.

“This caused this tragic incident,” he said on Iranian state television, giving the death toll, indicating that fatalities and casualties could rise.

Ohadi said the path closures had left only three routes to the area where the stoning ceremony was held.