Pakistan, May 30 -- Thousands of Muslims began to leave the holy city of Makkah on Friday after having completed the Hajj pilgrimage in scorching heat and despite the shadow of war across the Middle East.

This year, more than 1.7 million people from 165 countries took part in one of the world's largest religious gatherings, against the backdrop of the conflict sparked by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Since war erupted in February, Tehran has retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes, hitting infrastructure and energy installations across the Gulf, including in Saudi Arabia.

More than 30,000 Iranians made the journey to Makkah, about a third of the 86,000 originally expected. Iran's IRNA state news said the "wartime situation" ex...