The political ramifications of the deadly stampede in Mecca that killed more than 700 people on the first day of the Islamic holiday of Eid will reach the shores of New York this week.
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Iran has strongly criticized archrival Saudi Arabia over the disaster, blaming the Saudi government for “incompetence” and “mismanagement” of the annual hajj – which draws about 2 million pilgrims per year from more than 180 countries.
With the death toll rising, many pilgrims are still missing in the incident that marked the worst ever Hajj disaster.
And Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah told Lebanese al-Manar TV that Saudi Arabia should let the management of the pilgrimage be a joint Muslim issue or allow a Muslim committee to supervise its management. Protecting the visitors to mosques at the holy cities of Mecca and Medina is a key pillar of legitimacy for the Saudi royal family, and the king has the title of “custodian of the two shrines”.
“Claims that the stampede occurred following road closures because of a ministerial event or a dignitaries convoy are false”, said Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud, Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland, in a statement. The Saudi Health Ministry said on Twitter that 769 people died and 934 were injured in the crush of pilgrims in Mina (MEE’-nah).
He said that from his perspective, this year’s hajj went smoothly and that Saudi officials appeared to be doing all they could to safely manage the pilgrimage.
The cleric’s remarks came after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it is “urgently seeking information” about the whereabouts of some 160 British Muslims who have not been heard since the incident on 24 September.
Referring to the recent Hajj tragedy in Mecca and previous incidents, the commission’s Reza Kazem said that, “Things need to change” as it is clear that Saudi authorities are incapable of managing the Hajj.
The Saudi Gazette quoted its publishing concern and said that the group headed back to their tents from Jamarat through Street 204, going against the flow of the pilgrims’ movement.
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.
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Iranian state TV says 136 Iranian pilgrims were among the dead, 85 were injured and 344 remain missing. Large fans were also set up to spread mist.
