Two million pilgrims have arrived at the holy city Mecca for the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj - the largest of its kind in the world.

This year, the first day of the pilgrimage will be on 30 August and it will end on 4 September, Saudi Arabia’s High Judicial Court confirmed.

To complete one of the pillars of Islam, all Muslims are required to make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetimes if they have the means to do so.

Pilgrims from Iran will once again be allowed to attend this year after authorities lifted a ban on its citizens from travelling to its middle eastern rival.

Authorities had barred from making the journey last year, following a stampede in 2015 that killed more than 2,400 pilgrims, including 464 Iranians.

The disaster sparked bitter recriminations between the two nations over Saudi Arabia’s custodianship of the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.

Tensions have risen as both states supported opposing sides in conflicts in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere,

Around 90,000 Iranians are expected to attend the pilgrimage this year, the director of the Hajj at Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation told state media.

Hajj 2017 Show all 16 1 /16 Hajj 2017 Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim partakes in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, which marks the final major rite of the hajj Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina, near Mecca, which marks the final major rite of the hajj Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim partakes in the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat Bridge in Mina Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim has his head shaven after throwing pebbles at pillars during the symbolic stoning of the devil Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Muslim pilgrim's head is shaved, after throwing pebbles at pillars during the symbolic stoning of the devil Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 A Saudi policeman spays Muslim pilgrims with water to cool them off near the Grand Mosque Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat, southeast of the Saudi holy city of Mecca Bandar Aldandani/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims at the Grand Mosque Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Iranian Muslim pilgrims wait at Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia prior to the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 An Iranian Muslim pilgrim reads the Koran as she waits at Jeddah airport in Saudi Arabia, prior to the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Saudi Red Crescent paramedics show the press their emergency equipment Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers perform prayers around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim worshippers walk around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP Hajj 2017 Muslim pilgrims sit around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Muslim holy city of Mecca Karim Sahib/AFP

Saudi has also opened its borders to Qatari pilgrims.

The Salwa border had been shut after Saudi, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in June, after accusing the state of supporting extremist Islamist groups.

Health officials in Saudi Arabia have said they are ready to deal with another stampede or any outbreak of disease this year.