Video: Rising US–Iran War Tensions in the Middle East, Umrah Business at Risk

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia— US air strikes and their ally Israel on Iran, which killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February 2026, have sparked tensions in the Middle East. Iran has retaliated with strikes against Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region, including Bahrain, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. The effects have seen tensions in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, with disruptions to activities at several airports due to the closing of international flight routes. The Secretary-General of the Association of Indonesian Hajj Umrah Organisers and In-Bound (Asphurindo), M. Iqbal Muhajir, confirmed that the closure of flight routes in the Middle East is affecting Umrah activities, particularly transit flights through countries hosting US air bases. However, the Saudi government has assured the safety of forthcoming Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, has asked national Umrah organisers to temporarily postpone pilgrim departures until conditions are more conducive. Conversely, delaying Umrah could incur losses because hotel and accommodation bookings cannot be cancelled. To address this, using direct flights or non-stop flights to countries under missile attack by Iran could be a solution to continue performing Umrah. As of 4 March 2026, around 58,000 pilgrims remain stranded in Saudi Arabia, but the Hajj and Umrah association has proposed chartering aircraft as a solution to repatriate pilgrims back home. For more details, watch the dialogue between Bunga Cinka and the Secretary-General of Asphurindo, M. Iqbal Muhajir on Nation Hub, CNBC Indonesia (Thursday, 06/03/2026).