Overview
- Some 1.5 million foreign pilgrims began the Hajj and gathered for prayers on Mount Arafat, a milestone that local authorities reported on Monday and that marks the central days of the pilgrimage.
- Saudi forces have posted expanded security around Mecca including air‑defense assets, and the interior ministry has banned political or confessional flags and slogans to prevent the ritual from becoming a platform for protests.
- Iranian participation is sharply lower than expected, with IRNA reporting roughly 30,000 Iranians on site compared with about 86,000 that had been anticipated, and some pilgrims saying the Hajj provides a temporary respite from the war at home.
- Temperatures in the region have risen to about 45–47°C, prompting large medical deployments, climate‑controlled tents in Mina, distribution of parasols and repeated public health advisories to guard against heatstroke.
- The Hajj carries large economic and diplomatic weight for Saudi Arabia and will be watched for how fragile US‑Iran negotiations and recent Gulf flight disruptions affect security, pilgrim access and regional tensions in the coming days.