Being in Mecca has been nothing short of blissful for Hassan Qadiri, where participating in the festivities of the hajj pilgrimage is a welcome relief after weeks of devastating war back home in Iran.

More than a million Muslims are gathering in Mecca for the hajj pilgrimage overshadowed by the Middle East war, as animosity smoulders across the region despite a fragile…

Pilgrims flock to Saudi Arabia for Hajj as war rages in the Middle East, with worshippers citing faith, safety measures and a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual duty.