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Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in Makkah on Monday for the annual Haj pilgrimage carried out against the backdrop of hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East.
The white-robed pilgrims on buses or on foot arrived at the sprawling encampment in Mina after performing the tawaf.
The start of the Haj came as US President Donald Trump continued to send mixed signals over a possible agreement to extend an uneasy ceasefire with Iran and a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
This year’s rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, including Iran, follow waves of attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours.
