Critics of the government say all pilgrims, whatever their status, should be protected from heat, and allege the authorities cracked down on unauthorised attendees in 2024.
Clad in white, worshippers began arriving at dawn for the most gruelling day of the annual rites, ascending the rocky, 70-metre (230-foot) hill where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon.
On a crisis tour of the region, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Saudi Arabia this week before stops in Egypt, Qatar and then Israel, where he is pressing for a truce deal in the Israel-Hamas war.
The agreement will see the two establish a joint committee to form a working group for weapons systems research and development as well as production to continue cooperation in defence, DAPA said in a press release on Monday.
The store will serve exclusively non-Muslim diplomats. To access liquor, customers will have to register via a mobile app, get a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and respect monthly quotas with their purchases.
