Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of mourning and has condemned Saudi Arabia for a stampede Sept. 24 near the holy city of Mecca that left over 1,000 pilgrims dead, with at least 125 Iranians among them. While Prince Khaled al-Faisal, head of the Central Hajj Committee, blamed the stampede on “some pilgrims from African nationalities,” Iranian officials have blamed Saudi Arabia for poor management. The incident follows the Sept. 11 collapse of a crane in Mecca in which 11 Iranians died, including a top scientist.

In a statement released by his website, Khamenei wrote, "The Saudi government has a duty to accept its heavy responsibility for this bitter event." He blamed the stampede on "poor management and incompetent actions."

The stampede took place near the neighborhood of Mina, close to where the ritual stoning of the devil takes place. This year nearly 2 million pilgrims took part in the hajj, a duty for all able-bodied Muslims.

Hossein-Amir Abdollahian, Iranian deputy foreign minister for Arab and African affairs, said that President Hassan Rouhani had ordered a special committee to look into the stampede to help with the “immediate support, transport of injured and diplomatic relations.” He announced that the Saudi charge d’affaires in Tehran would also be summoned.