Saudi Arabia urges Trump to delay Iran strikes until Hajj pilgrimage concludes to prevent travel chaos

Saudi Arabia, leading a unified front of Gulf Arab nations, has reportedly made an urgent diplomatic appeal to US President Donald Trump, asking Washington to delay any potential new military strikes against Iran until after the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

According to senior regional officials and diplomatic sources close to the discussions, Gulf leaders have explicitly warned the White House that a resumption of hostilities right now could cause a logistical and humanitarian crisis, potentially leaving more than 1.5 million international Muslim pilgrims trapped in the region.

The request comes as a fragile, April-enacted ceasefire hangs by a thread. Just last week, President Trump admitted he had a "very major attack" fully prepared, only to postpone it at the final hour following direct telephone interventions from the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

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The looming logistics nightmare

This year’s Hajj commenced on May 24, drawing massive crowds to the holy city of Mecca despite months of intense geopolitical anxieties. However, the memory of earlier escalations remains fresh.

When the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28 to target its nuclear and missile programs, Tehran retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes across the Gulf.

That exchange severely disrupted commercial aviation, leading to weeks of abrupt airspace closures and massive flight cancellations.

Gulf officials have warned that a second wave of conflict during the six-day Hajj window would completely paralyse major regional aviation hubs in Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Because the vast majority of international pilgrims rely on these specific hubs to return to their home countries, particularly across South and East Asia, any disruption would instantly strand hundreds of thousands of people.

Also read | Trump says Iran deal will involve ‘no cash’, calls any pact the ‘exact opposite’ of Obama-era nuclear deal

Holding back 'Operation Sledgehammer'

While the Pentagon has detailed strike plans ready to deploy under a multi-phase air campaign, provisionally codenamed "Operation Sledgehammer," Trump has temporarily agreed to give regional diplomacy a breathing window.

The President is currently leveraging the pause to squeeze concessions out of Tehran, using Pakistan and Qatar as indirect intermediaries. While Trump has publicly claimed that a 60-day truce and maritime deal to reopen the blockaded Strait of Hormuz is "largely negotiated," hardliners in Washington and Tehran continue to spar over the fate of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpiles.

For Riyadh, the priority remains keeping the peace until the holy rites conclude.