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 The kingdom's regional rival Iran expressed indignation at the
deaths of 131 of its nationals at the world's largest annual
gathering of people, and politicians in Tehran suggested Riyadh was
incapable of managing the event.
In a statement posted on his ministry's website, Saudi Health
Minister Khalid al-Falih said an investigation would be conducted
rapidly and a final toll of dead and wounded calculated. At least
863 pilgrims were injured.
"The investigations into the incident of the stampede that took
place today in Mina, which was perhaps because some pilgrims moved
without following instructions by the relevant authorities, will be
fast and will be announced as has happened in other incidents," the
statement said.
Falih said the injured were being transferred to hospitals in Mecca
and if necessary to other parts of the country.
Falih's comments were likely to be seen by the kingdom's critics as
an attempt to deflect responsibility for the incident: Safety during
haj is politically sensitive for the kingdom's ruling Al Saud
dynasty, since the ruling family presents itself internationally as
the guardian of orthodox Islam and custodian of its holiest places
in Mecca and Medina.
 With photographs of piles of the dead circulating on social media
and pilgrims frantically searching for missing compatriots, the
effort to uncover the facts and assign blame was likely to grow more
acute and possibly more political.
"CATASTROPHE"
Saudi King Salman ordered a review of haj plans after the disaster,
in which two big groups of pilgrims collided at a crossroads in
Mina, a few km (miles) east of Mecca, on their way to performing the
"stoning of the devil" ritual at Jamarat.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, in New York to attend the U.N.
General Assembly, echoed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in
blaming Saudi Arabia for the incident.
"I ask the Saudi Arabian government to take the responsibility of
this catastrophe and fulfil its legal and Islamic duties in this
regard," Rouhani said in a statement published on the state news
agency IRNA.
In Tehran, protesters held a demonstration after Friday noon
prayers. Iranian state television said they were showing their anger
at "Saudi incapability and incompetence to run the haj".
Hamid Aboutalebi, Rouhani's deputy chief of staff was also quoted by
Fars news agency as saying "the incompetence of Saudi Arabian
government in this incident in obvious."
Iran's deputy Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian also called
"Riyadh's negligence inexcusable" and announced a committee has been
established to look into the incident.
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Iranians pilgrims who survived the deadly incident described Saudi's
response "too little, too late," according to Iran's state run Press
TV. They said the rescuers arrived at the scene two hours after the
incident and started collecting dead bodies first instead of helping
the injured.
Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Mansour
Turki was quoted in Saudi media on Friday as saying the security
forces had immediately responded and begun to rescue those who fell
in the crush.
"DISORGANIZED"
"This year haj ceremony was disorganized as Saudi government had
hired young and inexperienced people," Saeed Ohadi, Head of Iran's
haj and pilgrimage organization told Iran's state broadcaster in a
live interview from Mecca.
A leading Iranian MP said Saudi Arabia is not qualified to be in
charge of Haj.
"The fatal stampede occurred after Saudi officials closed two routes
leading to site ritual," Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of parliament's
Foreign Affairs and National Security committee was quoted as saying
by Fars news agency.
Speaking in New York, Pope Francis expressed "my sentiments of
closeness" with the world's Muslims after the tragedy.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the United States offered
condolence.
In Islamabad, the Pakistani ministry of religious affairs said seven
Pakistanis were dead and six were injured.
Former Iraqi Prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, an ally of Iran and foe
of Riyadh, said the incident was "proof of the incompetence of the
organizers of the pilgrimage season".
He said the haj should be placed under the authority of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest Muslim
organization.
(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Sami Aboudi, Rania El Gamal, Angus
McDowall, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, Katie Paul, Writing by William
Maclean, Editing by Dominic Evans)
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