Border Crossings Ready for Arbaeen Pilgrimage: Iranian Official

IQNA – All border crossings leading to Iraq are fully operational and prepared to facilitate the entry and exit of Arbaeen pilgrims, an Iranian official said.

Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian, the head of the Arbaeen Central Headquarters said on Sunday that the Shalamcheh, Chazzabeh, Mehran, Khosravi, Bashmaq, and Tamarchin border crossings in western Iran are ready to accommodate pilgrims heading to Iraq for the Arbaeen procession.

He said that no major obstacles exist to the travel of the pilgrims.

“Our advice is that people choose the nearest border to exit the country, based on their location, to reduce waiting time.”

Pourjamshidian made the remarks during the 6th Health in Arbaeen international congress held in Tehran.

He noted that so far, more than one million Iranians have registered their names to take part in this year’s Arbaeen procession.

“Our prediction is that the number of (Iranian Arbaeen pilgrims) will be higher than in last year,” he stated.

Arbaeen is a religious event observed by Shia Muslims on the fortieth day after the Day of Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the third Shia imam.

It is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world, with millions of Shia Muslims, as well as many Sunnis and followers of other religions, walking to Karbala from various cities in Iraq and neighboring countries. This year, the day of Arbaeen will fall on August 4.

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