Thousands of people prayed on Mount Arafat at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, as a punishing desert sun sent temperatures soaring towards 40C.
More than 1.5 million people have joined the hajj this year despite the shadow of war across the Middle East created by the US and Israeli war with Iran.
More than 30,000 Iranians have made the journey, about a third of the 86,000 originally expected. Iran's IRNA state news agency said the "wartime situation" explained the drop.
Despite the war, Saudi officials said over the weekend that more pilgrims had travelled from abroad this year than in 2025.
The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means to do so.
With temperatures hitting 44C in Mecca in recent days, Saudi authorities have urged pilgrims to drink plenty of water and protect themselves from the sun during the mostly outdoor rituals, which can take five days or more to complete.
Since men are prohibited from wearing hats, many carry umbrellas to try to keep the blistering sun at bay.
After Mount Arafat, pilgrims will spend the night in Muzdalifah, where they will collect pebbles for the symbolic "stoning of the devil" ritual in Mina, starting tomorrow.
The hajj is said to follow the path of the Prophet Muhammad's final pilgrimage, about 1,400 years ago.
It has long been an important source of legitimacy for the Al Saud dynasty, whose monarch has the title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques", in Mecca and Medina.
