Saudi Arabia will remain in charge of Hajj, says prince

Saudi Prince says Hajj is a matter of sovereignty and privilege

Saudi Arabia's prince, Turki al-Faisal, on Sunday rejected the idea of sharing the administration of the annual Hajj pilgrimage with other Muslim nations, amid calls from Iran for an independent body to manage Hajj.

“Oversight of these Holy places and the Hajj is a matter of sovereignty and privilege and service,” the Saudi prince said.

Read: As insults fly, Iran-Saudi Hajj row aggravates regional rifts

The senior member of the Saudi royal family, who is currently chairman of the Riyadh-based King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, spoke to The Associated Press as the Kingdom has been facing criticism following the death of over 1,400 people during this year's Hajj.

Saudi Arabia’s regional rival Iran, which lost the largest number of pilgrims, blamed the Kingdom of mismanagement.

"The Kingdom over the years, having gotten over the awful times when pilgrims couldn't guarantee their travels to the Hajj in the old days and all the other factors of disease and crowds and housing and so on, we'll not give up that privilege or that distinction of being the servants of the two Holy places," the prince said.

"The people of Makkah are the ones who know best the territory of Makkah and you can't take that away from the people of Makkah," he added.

Read: Saudi prince’s convoy triggered Hajj stampede: report

Responding to Iran's state prosecutor’s vow to "pursue the trial of Al Saud" through international courts for the deaths in this year's Hajj, the prince said, “I think they're trying to make political capital out of this, which is unfortunate. Human suffering should not be a tool for political shenanigans. It's a recurring record that is played over and over again by Iranian leaders."

King Salman, in line with past Saudi monarchs, holds the title of "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) first mosque ever built in Madina.

At least 1,480 pilgrims died in a stampede down a narrow street at Mina on September 24, just outside Makkah. The death toll is based on an AP count from official statements from 19 nations whose citizens died in the incident. The death toll provided by Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry is 769.

Read: Iran protests Saudi delay in repatriating hajj dead

Iran's death toll of 465 is the highest announced by any country thus far. Egypt's Foreign Ministry on Sunday said the death toll among Egyptians climbed from 165 to 177, with 64 still missing.

This article originally appeared on Associated Press