Iranian pilgrims chant ‘death to America’ and ‘death to Israel’ at hajj ceremony

Iranian pilgrims chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” during the annual “Disavowal of Polytheists” ceremony held on Thursday in the plain of Arafat in Saudi Arabia, Iranian media reported.

The event, organized as part of Iran’s official Hajj program, took place in tents allocated to Iranian pilgrims and was attended by senior officials, including Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the country’s top Hajj representative.

Participants carried placards with slogans such as “Al-Quds is ours” and “Israel is absolute evil.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran has long regarded the “Disavowal of Polytheists” as a politically symbolic ritual, tying religious observance to opposition to perceived global oppressors. The chant “Death to America” has been a staple of the ceremony since it was first introduced after the 1979 revolution.

In 1987, the event led to a deadly confrontation between Iranian pilgrims and Saudi security forces, resulting in more than 400 deaths. Following that incident, the ceremony was suspended for several years and resumed in 2001 in a more restricted format. It is now conducted inside enclosed tents under Iranian supervision and coordinated with Saudi authorities.