This year, the pilgrimage occurs amid a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related uncertainty in the region.

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.

More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the…