President Donald Trump cancelled planned strikes on Iran after Saudi Arabia warned that attacks during the Hajj pilgrimage would cause serious “reputational damage”, according to a report by Middle East Eye.
Two senior Gulf officials told the outlet that Trump was informed that America’s standing in the Muslim world would suffer if military action took place during the holy period. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims could also be stranded if conflict erupted and retaliatory strikes hit Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
A senior US official confirmed the discussions, saying Trump’s own team warned that attacks during the pilgrimage would harm America’s reputation. All three officials expect the war to resume in the coming weeks after the Islamic festival ends.
The US did strike Iran during Ramadan earlier this year, but the logistical challenges posed by the Hajj are thought to be more severe. The conflict, sparked by US-Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February, is referred to in Iran as the “Ramadan War”.
Reports indicate Iran has rebuilt its military capacity faster than anticipated during a six-week ceasefire, restarting drone production, replacing missile sites, and reigniting production capacity. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said the country used the opportunity to “rebuild” its strength.
Iran has threatened to escalate the conflict “beyond the region” if the US resumes attacks. White House official JD Vance noted that “a lot of good progress has been made” in recent negotiations with Tehran, though the outcome remains uncertain.
