More Than 1.2 Million Muslims Gather in Mecca for Hajj

More than 1.2 million Muslims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual hajj pilgrimage that begins Monday in Mecca. The rites draw worshippers from across the Islamic world, including Iran, and occur against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East war.

This year's pilgrimage follows waves of Iranian attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors. Saudi officials are working to keep conflict far from the minds of visitors who have traveled long distances. A Saudi state broadcaster this week posted a warning from the interior ministry that any chanting or raising of political or sectarian flags is strictly prohibited during the hajj.

The last major dispute between Riyadh and Tehran erupted in 2015, when 464 Iranians were among 2,300 pilgrims killed in a stampede.

Temperatures are forecast to top 40 degrees Celsius for much of the week. Saudi authorities have introduced additional shaded areas and deployed more than 50,000 healthcare staff along with 3,000 ambulances. More than 1,300 people died during last year's hajj when temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius.

Despite the heat and regional tensions, pilgrims expressed deep emotion as the hajj began.

“Hajj has been the dream of a lifetime for me. And it is finally coming true.”

The two sides re-established relations in a 2023 deal brokered by China before tensions rose again after the US and Israeli attack on Iran in late February.