Iranians to resume hajj in Saudi Arabia after 2016 boycott
As many as 85,000 Iranian pilgrims will participate in this year's annual hajj in Saudi Arabia after Iran boycotted last year's hajj over a stampede in 2015 which killed at least 2,426 people, of which 464 were Iranians. However, tensions remain between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shia-majority Iran who support opposite sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen.