Millions have watched the videos of Iranian pilgrims being received in Madinah and saw how they were greeted warmly and presented with flowers as they arrived, one after the other, to perform the Hajj pilgrimage this year. They were at ease, in safety, and far from the fallout of the war that has swept through the Middle East and the complex political and security realities that it produced.
These scenes surprised observers unfamiliar with Saudi policy. Moreover, Saudi Arabia had itself been the target of several Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks during the war between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other since February 28. The Kingdom was not a belligerent in this war; on the contrary, it had been proactively seeking to spare the region from violence and chaos through diplomacy, in order to resolve differences and reach sustainable diplomatic solutions, repeatedly reaffirming that it would not allow its territory, airspace, or territorial waters to be used for offensive operations. Even so, it was subjected to wanton Iranian attacks on vital civilian infrastructure and strategic facilities, damaging its national security.
To this behavior, Iran’s open violation of international law, Saudi Arabia responded with defensive military measures and diplomacy. It also drew a clear line between politics on the one hand and the serving of the pilgrims of making Hajj to the sacred house of God on the other. Even when those pilgrims came from the country that had attacked the Kingdom, Riyadh did not receive them as though they had been responsible for those attacks, but as guests who had come to perform religious rites and visit Makkah and Madinah.
During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in 2025, thousands of Iranian pilgrims had been in Saudi Arabia and could not return to their country. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued directives to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to "facilitate all the needs of the Iranian pilgrims and provide them with all the services they need until conditions would allow for their safe return to their homeland and families." The Saudi authorities carried this out with great efficiency under the close supervision of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
To the Saudi government, what matters is adhering to the laws governing Hajj and totally avoiding any "politicization of Hajj," including through slogans or images, and revolutionary speeches by any party whatsoever. This refusal to use religious rites as a political tool is not new, nor is it tied solely to recent developments in the Gulf. It is a longstanding Saudi policy aimed at ensuring that Hajj remains highly organized, safe, and spiritual - at arm’s length from division, discord, or sectarian fanaticism.
In this context, it is worth recalling remarks of Major General Mohammed al-Omari, commander of the Saudi Special Emergency Forces, who stated that "the primary goal of the forces is to preserve the security of Hajj and the safety of the guests of God." He stressed that pilgrims should be treated "with the utmost comfort and care," adding that "the security of Hajj is a red line; we will not allow anyone to approach it, let alone cross it."
Such explicit rhetoric is meant to create a clear deterrent against any unlawful act before it occurs. Without it, the pilgrimage season could descend into disorder and become a space exploited by partisan groups to promote their ideas, recruit followers, and mobilize their bases, a real threat to pilgrims, visiting delegations, and Saudi security alike.
Historically, the kings of Saudi Arabia have always regarded "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" as the title dearest to them. It confers to them the honor of overseeing the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, and other holy sites. They therefore see themselves as being personally responsible for the comfort and safety of pilgrims, and for ensuring that they return to their homelands safely.
According to sources I spoke with, several religious authorities in the seminary of Najaf in Iraq and the seminary of Qom in Iran have stressed the importance of complying with Saudi regulations. They have unequivocally reiterated that violating the Kingdom's law is "religiously forbidden" and that Iranian pilgrims, like all others, must follow the instructions of the Saudi authorities because safeguarding order is among their highest obligations.
Saudi policy has consistently rested on preventing the use of religion for political or partisan ends and on providing the pilgrims of the sacred house of God with every service they need, including medical care and logistical support, regardless of where they come from. The underlying principle, throughout, is adherence to the law, refusal to politicize Hajj, and the conviction that the security of Hajj is a red line Riyadh will not allow anyone to cross.
