President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is under fire for leaving Iran as the nation reeled from twin earthquakes that killed 306 and injured thousands just two days earlier, Reuters reports.

Ahmadinejad is visiting Saudi Arabia for a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is expected to deal with the crisis in Syria.

The decision to leave Iran less than two days after the quakes is criticized in an editorial in the newspaper Asr-e Iran, titled "Mr. Ahmadinejad, where have you gone?" 

"In every other part of the world, the tradition is that when natural disasters happen, leaders will change their plans and visit the affected areas in order to show their compassion ... and observe rescue efforts," the editorial said, according to Reuters.

Iran also faces criticism from lawmakers and the public after the search and rescue mission was called off Monday, Reuters reports.

"The crisis management headquarters must take broader steps to alleviate these concerns," said Ali Larijani, a rival to Ahmadinejad and a possible 2013 presidential election candidate.