TEHRAN - The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has damaged Islam most after the terrorist group Daesh.

The remarks by Ali Shamkhani followed a stampede in Mina on Thursday in which more than 4000 pilgrims including 240 Iranians lost their lives while performing their Hajj rituals.

“We will never back down from our rights,” said Ali Shamkhani, stressing that Saudi Arabia is responsible for the recent stampede that took thousands of lives during the Hajj ceremony in Mecca, Tasnim reported Tuesday.

“The Iranian nation and the Islamic world cannot simply overlook the disaster in Mina and the Saudi government should be accountable,” Shamkhani had said earlier.

He further emphasized that the tragic event has its root causes in a shift in the security priorities of the Saudi regime and the deployment of its forces to Yemen as well as the coming to power of “incompetent” officials in the Arab country.

“Saudi Arabia lacks the appropriate capacity to manage the Hajj” Shamkhani said, adding that a firm decision should be taken in this regard to prevent recurrence of such bitter incidents.

SP/P