Iranian leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei addresses a congregation of people on the 13th day of Ramadan, Tehran, Iran, April 4, 2023 (@khamenei_ir/Twitter)

Iranian leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei issued a statement addressing Muslims partaking in the rituals of the Hajj season this year.

In his message, Sayyed Khamenei stressed that the occasion "can annul and render ineffectual all the plans of the Arrogant Powers and Zionism for the moral downfall of humanity – today and in the future."

Hajj can annul and render ineffectual all the plans of the Arrogant Powers and Zionism for the moral downfall of humanity – today and in the future.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 27, 2023

The Iranian leader urged political and cultural leaders in Islamic countries to prepare themselves for the new multipolar world order as they should determine the proper place for the "Islamic Ummah in the new global experience, which is filled with opportunities and threats." "They should not allow the bitter experience of the political and territorial engineering of West Asia at the hands of Western governments after WWI to be repeated," he added.

When addressing the issue of unity in the Islamic world, Sayyed Khamenei said unity "means a synergy between science and experience." He also stressed that it also necessitates strong economic ties between Islamic countries, cooperation between governments, and joint action against the common and definite enemies of the Ummah.

He also pointed to the role Hajj can play in elevating human society and solving health and security-related issues as he saw that spiritual and moral elevation is a vital need of humankind which Hajj can provide.

The Hajj ritual can serve to elevate human society and improve the health and security of all people. Hajj can bless all humanity with spiritual and moral elevation, and this is the vital need of humankind today.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 27, 2023

Sayyed Khamenei also underlined "the duty of all nations and the duty of our governments to stand against this evil scheme of the US and Zionist regime."

On Tuesday, pilgrims prayed in Mount Arafat in the scorching heat after ascending to the point where Prophet Mohammad gave his final sermon.

After three years of Covid restrictions, the annual pilgrimage, one of Islam's five pillars, may be the largest on record, as per officials.

The Hajj, one of the greatest religious gatherings in the world, has been anticipated to draw more than 2.5 million pilgrims.

On Monday, temperatures reached 46 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) when robed worshippers traveled from Mecca to Mina, where they spent the night in a massive tented city before performing the rituals at Mount Arafat.