Tasnim – A senior official at the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said no Iranian Hajj pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia’s holy cities of Mecca and Medina has suffered injuries or faced health problems up to now.

Pir Hossein Kolivand on Tuesday dismissed some reports claiming that at least 30 Iranian nationals have died in Mecca, saying, “Thank God, no incident has occurred to Iranian pilgrims in the cities of Mecca and Medina, and they are all in good health.”

He further asked people and the media to get news and information from Iranian authorities and pay no heed to the rumors and the “poisonous propaganda” that exist in cyberspace.

His comments came after a report said that 50 Hajj pilgrims have died in Saudi Arabia.

The report carried by Anadolu Agency has put the number of pilgrims who have died in the kingdom so far at 54.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), meanwhile, reported on Monday that at least 31 pilgrims lost their lives on Sunday, adding that the deceased were all foreign nationals.

No information has been given by authorities about the cause of the deaths.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage draws around 2 to 4 million people each year to the holy city of Mecca.

Over 620,000 pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia by August 12, the Saudi agency added.

Last year, Saudi authorities tightened security at pilgrimage sites following a deadly stampede that killed at least 4,700 pilgrims during the 2015 Hajj.