Continued Attack by Iranian Officials on Saudi Arabia Following Mina Incident

While Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, states that the Islamic Republic is not seeking to politicize the Mina incident, other Iranian officials continue their attacks on the Saudi government. The Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council referred to this government as a "source of insecurity in the region." Meanwhile, Iran's Minister of Culture predicted that the number of pilgrims killed in the "Rami Jamarat" incident in Mina could reach eight thousand and called on Saudi officials to be accountable for their "mismanagement" in this incident. According to Fars News Agency, Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture, mentioned on Thursday evening, October 1, that following the previous decision of Saudi Arabia to bury the victims of the Mina incident in Mecca, actions by Rouhani's government and "pressures from some influential countries" led to the decision that all Iranian victims' bodies would be returned to the country. Mr. Jannati did not specify the names of these "influential countries." However, earlier, Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, reported that he had "requested" the Emir of Kuwait to "intervene" in pursuing issues related to the Mina incident, and that "conditions have improved somewhat due to his intervention and his conversation with the King of Saudi Arabia." According to Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization on Thursday, 464 Iranian pilgrims were killed in the Rami Jamarat incident in Mina. This organization did not mention the number of missing persons. Nevertheless, Abbas Araghchi, in a meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, announced that 200 Iranian pilgrims are still missing and "it is likely that all have been killed." According to ILNA, Iran's Labor News Agency, Mr. Araghchi also emphasized that the Islamic Republic is not seeking to "politicize this incident but rather demands accountability and complete transparency" regarding this incident. Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Foreign Minister, had previously accused Iran of "political exploitation" of this incident and stated that it would be better for Iranians to wait for the results of the Saudi government's investigations. Following the Mina incident, officials of the Islamic Republic have severely attacked Saudi Arabia, with Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the Iranian government spokesman, referring to this country as a "hostile nation" and a "puppet of America." Meanwhile, Ali Motahari, a representative from Tehran in Parliament, stated that the Mina incident might be "a precursor to a change in the political system of Saudi Arabia and the fall of the Al Saud." Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, also on Wednesday, October 1, accused Saudi officials of failing in their responsibilities towards the victims of the Mina incident and transferring their bodies to Iran, threatening that if Iran were to react, this reaction would be "harsh and severe." Meanwhile, according to ISNA, Mohsen Rezai, former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council of Iran, stated on Thursday evening in a television program that Iran currently has "patience" towards Saudi Arabia and is "not seeking war." He also pointed to instances such as the expulsion of Iran's charge d'affaires from Bahrain, stating that Saudi Arabia continues its "irrational behaviors." Mr. Rezai accused the "new generation" of Saudi officials of having "openly become a source of insecurity in the region and supporting terrorists in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Yemen." Tensions in Iran-Saudi relations have escalated following conflicts in Syria and Yemen and have reached a peak after the "Rami Jamarat incident" in Mina. The Islamic Republic supports Bashar al-Assad in Syria and is accused of providing military support to the Houthi rebel Shiites in Yemen. In contrast, Saudi Arabia supports the opponents of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and backs Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, the President of Yemen.