Exclusive: Trump postponed US attack in Iran after 'Hajj warning'

Exclusive: Trump postponed US attack in Iran after 'Hajj warning' Submitted by Shafik Mandhai on Wed, 05/20/2026 - 12:23 Sources tell Middle East Eye the US president was told of severe 'reputational damage' if he resumes war during the Muslim pilgrimage, as well as global air travel disruptions Muslim pilgrims pray at the Grand Mosque in Mecca during the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage in June (AFP) Off US President Donald Trump  postponed a planned attack on Iran this week after being warned by Gulf allies and his own officials not to resume the war during the Hajj pilgrimage, Middle East Eye can reveal. According to two senior Gulf officials, Trump was told that attacking Iran during the Hajj piligrimage would lead to a crisis within Gulf states, as it would leave hundreds of thousands of pilgrims stranded. The sources also said that Trump was told that attacking during the holy period, which leads up to the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, would further damage Washington's standing in the Muslim world. A senior US official, who is familiar with discussions taking place within the Trump administration, confirmed that the conversations had taken place. They said that the US president had been warned by his own officials that resuming the US- Israeli war now would cause serious "reputational damage" for Trump. The US previously attacked Iran during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but doing so during the Hajj period would cause enormous logistical challenges for Saudi Arabia , which hosts around a million foreign pilgrims each year. Those challeneges also extend to Gulf air travel hubs, such as Qatar and the UAE, and countries in South and East Asia, from where many pilgr...

Original source: Middle East Eye