Saudi security forces block the way to an area where a stampede occurred at the camp city at Mina, near the holy city of Mecca September 24, 2015.
Saudi security forces block the way to an area where a stampede occurred at the camp city at Mina, near the holy city of Mecca September 24, 2015. At least 717 pilgrims from around the world were killed on Thursday in a crush outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi authorities said, in the worst disaster to strike the annual haj pilgrimage for 25 years. Reuters/Ahmad Masood

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has threatened Saudi Arabia which, according to him, was “not fulfilling its duties with regard to the repatriation of the purified bodies of the dead.” The death toll for Iranian pilgrims in the Mina stampede has reached 464, according to the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation. The latest death toll update on Thursday on has nearly doubled previous figures.

The organisation added that 14 Iranian nationals were still being treated in Saudi hospitals. The statement, however, does not include the number of Iranians injured in the Sept. 24 stampede. An earlier statement said more than 200 Iranian pilgrims had been missing in the accident, Press TV reported.

“For its part, the Islamic Republic of Iran has so far respected brotherhood in the Muslim world by exercising self-restraint and Islamic courtesy, but they [Saudi officials] must know that the slightest disrespect to tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims in Mecca and Medina and not fulfilling [their] duties for the repatriation of the purified bodies [of dead Hajj pilgrims] will trigger tough and harsh reaction of Iran,” Khamenei said an official statement.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far shown self-restraint and respected [the principle of] Islamic courtesy and brotherhood in the Muslim world, but they [Saudi officials] must know that Iran’s hands are above [the hands of] many others and it has more potentialities, and if it wanted to show reaction to troublesome and mischievous elements, their conditions would not be good and they would be no match for Iran in any arena,” he added.

According to the Supreme Leader, Iran is not oppressive but it does not bow to oppression either. “Therefore, it does not encroach upon the rights of any human beings and nations, both Muslim and non-Muslim,” he added.

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