Muslim pilgrims walk on roads as they head to cast stones at pillars symbolising Satan during the annual haj pilgrimage in Mina near Mecca, Saudi Arabia September 12, 2016.
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Addressing worshipers during the Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) prayers in Tehran, Ayatollah Khatami recalled crimes committed by Saudi rulers in dealing with the pilgrims in previous year Hajj tragedy in which thousands of Muslims were killed in a tragic stampede in Mina.
“There has been a clear improvement”, said Saudi pilgrim Ibrahim Ayed, 40, returning for hajj and the stoning for the first time in a decade.
Just days before this year´s hajj, which began on Saturday, Iran´s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei questioned Saudi Arabia´s right to manage Islam´s holiest sites.
Noting that the Saudi regime has been to insolent as not to apologize to Muslim countries for its failure to properly handle the religious rituals, the Iranian official added that Riyadh even goes as far as impeding Iranian Hajj pilgrims from performing one of the most important Islamic obligations.
Last year, Saudi Arabia said almost 800 pilgrims were killed when two large groups of pilgrims arrived at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometres east of Mecca, on their way to performing the stoning ritual at Jamarat.
His claims led to mutual accusations throughout last week.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia do not talk about last year’s stampede, which was the worst disaster in hajj history.
The 6-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Saudi Arabia is the most powerful member, accused Iran of “a desperate attempt to politicize” the hajj and said Khamenei’s remarks were offensive.
“Serving the guests of God is an honour for us”, King Salman told the VIP delegates.
Muslims from around the world on Monday returned to the scene of last year’s deadly stampede to perform a stoning ritual near Mecca that is the final major rite of the hajj. The hajj ministry´s spokesman said “a number” who held other passports were in attendance.
The prince said that it is an honor for Saudi Arabia to receive all those pilgrims and serve them.
He was not more specific. Barred from Mecca amid an escalating spat between Tehran and Saudi Arabia, masses of Iranian Shiite faithful have converged on the holy city of Karbala for an alternative pilgrimage.
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Speaking to dignitaries from Muslim countries at a reception at the royal court in Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, the king added that Muslims should unite to fight what he called an epidemic of “extremism”.
