Worshippers pray at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. (SPA)
Millions of Hajj pilgrims began heading back to Makkah for final prayers on Tuesday as the world's largest annual gathering of Muslims wound down without incident despite the logistical challenges and escalating regional tensions.
Senior officials said there had been no major incidents and the logistical, security and health plans had been successful, even with some heavy rainfall.
Pilgrims participated in a symbolic stoning of the devil, part of the Hajj rituals, in Jamarat before returning to Makkah, where the Grand Mosque filled with worshippers preparing to depart.
Saudi pilgrim Jasem Ali Haqawi said he was grateful to the authorities for a well-run week of rituals.
"Nobody comes to the Hajj without things inside him that he wants to ask from God," he said while preparing to conduct final prayers in Makkah.
"The sick, the indebted ... such things only God can grant and so you ask God for whatever you want,” he added, according to Reuters.
Nearly 2.5 million pilgrims, most of them from abroad, came for the five-day ritual this year. Attendance is a religious duty, once in a lifetime, for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
More than 120,000 members of the security forces and more than 30,000 health workers were on hand this week to maintain safety and provide first aid.
Saudi Arabia, Lebanon Stress Importance of Bolstering Joint Arab Work, Full Implementation of Taif Accord https://english.aawsat.com/gulf/5118182-saudi-arabia-lebanon-stress-importance-bolstering-joint-arab-work-full-implementation
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during his visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 3, 2025. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia, Lebanon Stress Importance of Bolstering Joint Arab Work, Full Implementation of Taif Accord
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, meets with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during his visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 3, 2025. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, held official talks in Riyadh on Monday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Aoun was on his first official visit abroad since his election in January and was visiting the Kingdom at Crown Prince Mohammed’s invitation.
Meeting at the al-Yamama Palace in the capital, Riyadh, on Monday night, they discussed the situation in Lebanon and boosting relations between the two countries, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. They also covered regional and international developments.
A joint statement issued after the summit said that only state institutions in Lebanon should have the right to have arms and that the Lebanese army should be supported. It added that Israel should withdraw from all parts of Lebanon and that the state should impose its sovereignty throughout its territories.
The two parties stressed the “importance of consolidating joint Arab world and coordinating stances over significant regional and international developments.” They also underscored the importance of the full implementation of the Taif Accord.
The statement said Lebanon’s ties with Arab countries “guarantee its security and stability”.
They agreed that the Lebanese economy should come out of its historic crisis and that Beirut should implement reforms demanded by the international community.
Crown Prince Mohammed conveyed to Aoun the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who wished Lebanon and its people further progress. Aoun, for his part, wished King Salman continued health and the Saudi people prosperity.
Aoun invited Crown Prince Mohammed to visit Lebanon. The crown prince welcomed the invitation.
The visit marks the beginning of a new chapter in relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon and their development on all political, economic and social levels given the keenness on the two countries’ leaderships on bolstering ties, observers had said on Monday.
Ahead of the talks, Aoun said the visit “underscores the depth of Lebanese-Saudi relations and is an occasion to express Lebanon’s appreciation to the role the Kingdom plays in supporting its stability and constitutional institutions.”
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, shakes hands with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun during his visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 3, 2025. (SPA)
He added that he was looking forward to the talks he will hold with Crown Prince Mohammed that will pave the way for a future visit during which agreements aimed at bolstering cooperation between the fraternal nations will be signed.
The observers underlined Saudi Arabia’s historic role in supporting Lebanon’s security and stability, as well as on the political, economic and social levels.
They noted its effective role in ending Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war and its constant stances in solidarity with the Lebanese people, in addition to its relief and humanitarian aid for them.
Aoun acknowledged this support, saying the visit is an opportunity to thank Saudi Arabia for hosting Lebanese people who have flocked to it for several years and who continue to do so, noting their contributions to its construction and economic rise.
Moreover, the observers said the developments in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon, demand coordination between Beirut and Riyadh to bolster regional security and prosperity, and achieve the aspirations of the Lebanese people.
They said Aoun and Saudi Arabia are in agreement over the need to empower the Lebanese state and enable it to ensure its sovereignty and impose its authority throughout its territories.
Saudi Arabia has long stood by Lebanon and its people, stressing the need to commit to the latest ceasefire with Israel and for Israel to withdraw its troops from the country.
It has demanded the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 and relevant agreements, expressing its confidence that Aoun could kick off necessary reforms that would support Lebanon’s stability and unity and preserve national institutions. This would in turn build trust with Lebanon’s partners and help the country restore its position in the Arab fold.
