Iranian Pilgrims Seek Solace and Sanctuary During Hajj Amid Domestic Conflict

For Hassan Qadiri, the experience of being in Mecca has been one of pure serenity. Participating in the hajj pilgrimage has provided a vital emotional respite following weeks of devastating warfare in his home country of Iran.

Prior to an April ceasefire, Qadiri and his family were forced to take cover as intense Israeli and American bombing raids targeted their native city of Isfahan in central Iran.

“We hear the call to prayer every day here, not explosions,” Qadiri told AFP. “I am very happy.”

Like many of his compatriots this year, Qadiri and his family are staying in a hotel near the Grand Mosque. They are under the specific protection of Saudi security personnel, who maintain a perimeter to prevent unauthorized individuals from approaching or speaking with the Iranian pilgrims—a security protocol not extended to other visiting groups.

“The Saudi treatment of us is good and everything is fine,” Qadiri noted. His wife, who wore a turquoise vest identifying her as being from Isfahan, agreed, adding, “Being here makes the war easier for us to bear.”

Throughout the holy city, the presence of the Iranian delegation is visible, with national flags printed on white pilgrimage garments, cloaks, bags, and buses.

A History of Tension

According to Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, the “wartime situation” significantly impacted attendance; only 30,000 Iranian pilgrims made the journey to Saudi Arabia, far below the expected 86,700.

The hajj has historically served as a flashpoint between Riyadh’s Sunni monarchy and Tehran’s Shia revolutionary government. Following the 1979 Islamic revolution, Saudi officials frequently accused Iranian pilgrims of inciting violence or chanting political slogans, which are strictly forbidden by the religious establishment in Mecca.

One of the most severe disputes occurred after a tragic stampede in 2015 that killed 2,300 pilgrims, including 464 Iranians, leading to mutual recriminations. Relations were completely severed a year later after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad, following Riyadh’s execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Consequently, no Iranian pilgrims were permitted to attend the hajj that year.

While the two rivals re-established diplomatic ties through a 2023 China-brokered deal, the detente was strained following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation against Gulf neighbors. Those attacks targeted civilian infrastructure and disrupted oil and gas exports via the Strait of Hormuz.

Maintaining a Neutral Space

This year, Saudi authorities are determined to prevent geopolitical conflicts from spilling into the pilgrimage. Umer Karim, an expert on Saudi foreign policy at the University of Birmingham, noted that Saudi Arabia is “very keen to de-politicise hajj in every manner,” specifically regarding political activity and sloganeering.

In hotels hosting Iranian pilgrims, posters in Arabic and English explicitly state: “Raising flags and saying religious or political slogans is prohibited,” reinforcing warnings previously issued by the interior ministry.

While members of the official Iranian delegation declined to speak with AFP, individual pilgrims expressed gratitude for the reprieve. The pilgrimage coincides with intense speculation regarding a potential agreement between Washington and Tehran. While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested a deal to end the war could materialize quickly, President Donald Trump has tempered those expectations.

Despite the uncertain political trajectory, the pilgrims in Mecca remain focused on their spiritual journey. “It is a very beautiful feeling to be here for the hajj,” said Ali Reza.

Pardis, a woman from Tehran who lost a relative in an airstrike, echoed this sentiment: “I feel peace and safety here.”

Source link