At least 13 Iranian pilgrims have died during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, where temperatures have significantly increased in recent days.
“Since June 6, the total number of Iranian pilgrims who lost their lives during this year’s Hajj has reached 13,” said the Iranian Red Crescent’s health and medical operations unit in a statement broadcast by the official Iranian news agency IRNA.
The number of medical consultations provided to Iranian pilgrims at Red Crescent centers in Medina and Mecca, in the western part of the kingdom, reached 138,900. This year, 86,700 Iranians performed the major pilgrimage in Mecca and its surroundings, which has just concluded.
In addition to the Iranians, deaths have also been reported among pilgrims from Ghana, with seven individuals confirmed to have died during the Hajj so far.
In 2024, more than 1,300 pilgrims — including 22 Iranians — died during the Hajj when temperatures soared to 52 degrees Celsius, according to authorities. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves. Last year’s deaths highlight how vulnerable pilgrims are to these extreme weather conditions.
