Mecca stampede death toll could rise, Saudi King orders review

Muslim pilgrims cast stones at pillars symbolizing Satan, during the annual Haj pilgrimage on Eid al-Adha in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca September 24, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

After the incident, Iran's Foreign Ministry criticized the Saudi authorities for what it called their failure to prevent the stampede in Mina, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported.

"Saudi Arabian officials are to blame for the incident" and for their "tactlessness" in providing security for the pilgrims, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was quoted as saying.

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires and protested against "the lack of prudence" leading to the deadly accident.

According to Iran's state IRIB TV, at least 89 Iranian pilgrims were killed and 60 others were injured in the incident.

This was the second major incident involving massive casualties this month in Saudi Arabia.

Early September, 111 pilgrims were killed and 331 others injured in a crane crash in the grand mosque of Mecca.