Iran's Khamenei demands Saudi apology for Haj deaths

Published
96

TEHRAN: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei demanded Saudi Arabia apologise on Sunday for a stampede that killed nearly 770 pilgrims during Haj, at least 144 of them Iranians.

"Instead of passing the buck and playing a blame game, the Saudis should accept their responsibility and apologise to the world's Muslims and the bereaved families," Khamenei said in comments reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Iranian leaders have been fiercely critical of Saudi authorities' handling of safety at Haj and questioned whether Riyadh was fit to continue organising the annual pilgrimage.

Khamenei's comments came just hours after Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir hit back at the criticism from its regional rival, saying it "shouldn't play politics with a tragedy".

Culture Minister Ali Janati is to head a delegation to Saudi Arabia to follow up on 323 Iranians Tehran says are missing, but IRNA said his team still has not received visas.

On Saturday, Tehran summoned Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires for the third time since the stampede, to press the kingdom for greater cooperation.

President Hassan Rouhani appealed for United Nations (UN) mediation with the Saudis in a meeting with UN chief Ban Ki-moon in New York, state television reported.

"Sadly, Riyadh isn't offering enough cooperation on the missing pilgrims and the transfer of the dead and injured," it quoted Rouhani as saying.

"It is crucial that the UN remind Riyadh of its legal and humanitarian obligations."

Opinion

Editorial

Maritime alliance
Updated 01 Aug, 2026

Maritime alliance

AS the US-Iran war drags on, new battle lines are being drawn. The pro-US Gulf Arab monarchies and Iran have enjoyed...
Local governance
01 Aug, 2026

Local governance

INTERIOR Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s speech at a business summit on Thursday has stirred a hornet’s nest. His...
Murders in Balochistan
01 Aug, 2026

Murders in Balochistan

GOOD news is scarce in Balochistan. Seven labourers were abducted and gunned down in Turbat city recently. Four...
Expanding conflict
31 Jul, 2026

Expanding conflict

WITH neither of the belligerents willing to back down, and the theatre of conflict expanding geographically, the...
Spoils and spats
31 Jul, 2026

Spoils and spats

A FIGHT over assembly seats in Azad Jammu and Kashmir has laid bare what seem to be some deep resentments between ...
Unfair tax system
31 Jul, 2026

Unfair tax system

THE disclosure that the FBR collected nearly Rs1.9tr in sales and income taxes through electricity bills over the...