Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Criticism of Saudi Arabia over the Hajj tragedy that killed and injured hundreds last month will not deter the Kingdom from performing its duty of organizing the annual Muslim pilgrimage, Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz said on Monday.

The King said “irresponsible” statements by those who used the incident to score political points and create division within the Muslim world “will not affect Saudi Arabia’s role and great duty and responsibilities in serving the guests of God.”

Heading Monday’s Saudi cabinet session at Al-Yamamah palace in Riyadh, the King said he would not allow any “hidden hands” to sabotage the Kingdom’s management of the largest annual gathering of people in the world.

He said: “[The Kingdom] has dedicated all of its capabilities and efforts… to provide the guests of God with comfort.”

Iran has blamed Saudi Arabia for the accident which it said was the result of negligence on the part of the Hajj authorities.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called on the Kingdom to “take responsibility” for the tragedy—even though Riyadh announced earlier that investigations were still underway.

In the worst such incident to hit the Hajj season in 25 years, at least 769 people were killed and 863 injured after two large groups of pilgrims converged at a crossroads in Mina, a few miles east of the Muslim holy city of Mecca, last September.