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Potential Increase in Iranian Casualties from Mina Incident; Latest Figures: 155 People

Jan 31, 2026 January 31, 2026 3 min read 📰 Radio Farda
📋 Key Takeaway

The Iranian government reports that 155 Iranians have died in the Mina incident, with 321 still missing, suggesting that the death toll may rise significantly. Officials criticize the Saudi government's handling of the situation, highlighting ongoing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. This incident raises concerns about the safety of pilgrims and the effectiveness of Saudi authorities.

🔍 Quick Context Guide
💡 Bottom Line: The rising casualty figures from the Mina incident underscore serious safety concerns for pilgrims and strain Iran-Saudi relations.

👥 Key Players

Saeed Ohadi MENTIONED
Head of Iran's Hajj Organization
"Responsible for managing Iranian pilgrims and providing updates on casualties."
Ali Jannati MENTIONED
Minister of Culture
"A senior government official who publicly criticized Saudi Arabia's handling of the incident."
Ali Shamkhani MENTIONED
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran
"A key figure in Iran's national security discussions, adding weight to the criticism of Saudi Arabia."
Hassan Rouhani MENTIONED
President of Iran
"Leads the Iranian government and shapes its foreign policy, including relations with Saudi Arabia."

📰 What Happened

The Iranian government reported that 155 Iranians died in the Mina incident during Hajj, with 321 still missing, raising concerns about a potential increase in casualties. Iranian officials have criticized Saudi Arabia for its handling of the situation.

  • The Mina incident occurred on October 2, during the Hajj pilgrimage.
  • The total number of casualties from the incident is reported to exceed 2,000, while Saudi officials maintain a lower figure of 717.

💡 Why It Matters

🇮🇷 For Iran: The incident exacerbates tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, highlighting issues of safety for Iranian pilgrims and government accountability.
🌍 Regional: It raises concerns about the management of Hajj and the safety of pilgrims, potentially affecting regional relations among Muslim-majority countries.
🌐 International: The incident may draw international scrutiny on Saudi Arabia's ability to manage large-scale religious events and its diplomatic relations with Iran.

📚 Background

The Mina incident is part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which attracts millions of Muslims. Previous incidents have raised questions about Saudi Arabia's management of the pilgrimage.

Hajj pilgrimage safety Iran-Saudi Arabia relations
📡 Source: STATE MEDIA
📊 Confidence: 70%
The information comes from Iranian state media, which may reflect the government's perspective and could be biased in its portrayal of events.

In the latest statistics on Iranian casualties from the Mina incident in Saudi Arabia, the head of Iran's Hajj Organization announced on Sunday that the number is 155. The number of missing Iranians from this incident has also been reported as 321, which could indicate a potential increase in casualties. The state news agency of the Islamic Republic, IRNA, quoted Saeed Ohadi, the head of Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, stating the most recent figures of Iranian casualties in the Mina incident as 155. This figure was previously reported as 144 earlier on Sunday morning. According to Mr. Ohadi, the number of missing Iranians in this incident is also 321. On the same day, Ali Jannati, the Minister of Culture in Hassan Rouhani's government, suggested that likely '70 or 80 percent' of the missing Iranians are among the deceased. Based on this, the potential for Iranian casualties from the Mina incident to exceed 300 is plausible. Mr. Jannati, alongside Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, again criticized the Saudi government on Sunday, joining a number of officials in the Islamic Republic who have repeatedly criticized Saudi Arabia since the Mina incident occurred on Thursday. Jannati described the Mina incident as 'the peak of the incompetence of the Al Saud,' while Shamkhani stated, 'The inefficiency of the Saudi government has created a heavy disaster for the Islamic world.' Hassan Rouhani, the President, and Iranian government officials have accused the Saudi government of not providing the necessary cooperation to address the situation of the missing, the transfer of bodies, and the injured. Meanwhile, the Iranian cabinet held an extraordinary session on Friday to review the 'Rami Jamarat' incident in Mina that occurred last Thursday and decided that the Minister of Culture would be sent as a government representative to Saudi Arabia. However, Hassan Qashqavi, the Deputy Foreign Minister, reported on Saturday evening that the Saudi government has not yet issued visas for the special delegation from the Islamic Republic. Nonetheless, IRNA reported on Sunday that the total number of victims from the Mina incident exceeds two thousand. This is while Saudi officials have maintained that the number of casualties is 717 since the second day after the incident. The Mina incident, which occurred on the day of Eid al-Adha, Thursday, October 2, is the second major incident for pilgrims during the Hajj that occurs in less than two weeks in Saudi Arabia. On September 20, a crane collapse at the Grand Mosque in Mecca killed 107 people and injured dozens, 11 of whom were Iranian.

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Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →

Translation confidence: 85%

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