Muslims from around the world gather in Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as heightened regional tensions linked to the war involving Iran cast a shadow over this year’s gathering at Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia.

Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, making it a mandatory religious duty for all adult Muslims able to perform the pilgrimage - later this month over 2.5 million pilgrims…

Once a year, large numbers of Muslim pilgrims converge in Saudi Arabia, uniting in religious rituals and acts of worship as they perform the Hajj. While...