The leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, addressed a message on Saturday to the Muslim worshippers performing the annual Hajj duty.

His message comes as more than 1.5 million Muslims are set to pray on Mount Arafat, a rocky 70-meter (230-foot) hill, located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Mecca, where Prophet Mohammad delivered his final sermon. The Hajj, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, is said to retrace the steps of Prophet Mohammad's pilgrimage, approximately 1,400 years ago.

Sayyed Khamenei said that "the appealing Abrahamic call, which by God's command summons all human beings in all eras to the Kaaba during the time of Hajj, has once again this year, attracted the hearts of a number of Muslims from around the world."

"When one contemplates this magnificent gathering and the complex Hajj rituals, [they find out that] they are a source of reassurance and increase the confidence for the Muslims while being intimidating and a cause of trepidation for enemies and ill-wishers," he pointed out.

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The Iranian leader indicated that "it should not come as a surprise if the enemies and ill-wishers of the Islamic Ummah attempt to ruin and sow doubts about both of these aspects of the Hajj – whether by accentuating denominational and political differences or by trying to diminish the importance of its sacred and spiritual aspects."

Touching on what he referred to as the "Hajj of disavowal," Sayyed Khamenei underlined that this year's issue "is more significant than ever before." He explained that "the tragedies in Gaza, which are unparalleled in our contemporary history, along with the audacity of the ruthless Zionist regime, which is the embodiment of cruelty and villainy, and of course the declining state of Zionism, leave no room for any consideration or tolerance by any individual, party, government or Muslim denomination."

The late leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sayyed Ruhollah Khomeini, defines the declaration of disavowal in Hajj as "a renewal of the covenant to wage the struggle and an exercise for organizing the ranks of the strugglers for continuing the battle against disbelief, polytheism and idolatry."

Sayyed Khamenei emphasized on Saturday the necessity for this year's disavowal to extend beyond the Hajj season, reaching all Muslim countries and cities worldwide and extending beyond the pilgrims to include every individual. The leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran stressed that "this renunciation of the Zionist regime and its supporters, in particular the government of the United States of America, must be demonstrated in the words and actions of nations and governments, and it must impede the actions of the murderers."

"The ironclad resistance of Palestine and the patient, oppressed people of Gaza – whose remarkable patience and resistance have earned them admiration and respect globally – must be fully supported in every way," he added, wishing them a "complete and swift victory."

This year's Hajj takes place amid the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians are forcibly prevented from leaving to perform the pilgrimage.