Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi arrived in Baghdad on Thursday to discuss ways to ease the passage of Iranians through Iraq for a major pilgrimage this month, Iraq's government said.
The Arbaeen pilgrimage is one of the main religious events observed by Shiites.
It marks the end of the 40 days of mourning after the anniversary of the killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein at the battle of Karbala in 680 AD.
Iranians comprise the biggest foreign contingent of pilgrims, with tens of thousands making the journey — many walking at least part of the way from Iran to Karbala in large convoys.
The pilgrimage takes place on September 16 and 17, with pilgrims offered food and drink by volunteers.
Iraqi Interior Minister Othman Al Ghanimi received his Iranian counterpart in Baghdad on Thursday. The pair discussed issues including “the entry of the Iranian pilgrims to Iraq and ways to organise the process”, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said.
Mr Vahidi “lauded the significant role played by the Iraqi security forces to protect the Arbaeen pilgrims, to offer services and to secure all roads they go through on their way to holy Karbala”, it said.
Last year, the Iraqi government eased coronavirus travel restrictions for foreign Shiite pilgrims planning to observe the Arbaeen pilgrimage. It allowed 80,000 pilgrims to enter Iraq, of which nearly 60,000 were Iranians.
This year, no limits have been applied, with the number of visitors to the gold-domed shrine expected to exceed 10 million, according to government estimates.
In 2019, 14 million people attended Arbaeen commemorations in Karbala, a third of them from overseas countries including Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan and Gulf states, official figures showed.
As of Wednesday, about 1.3 million pilgrims from different nationalities had entered Iraq from border crossings and airports, the Commission of Border Crossing Points said.
Every year, chaos erupts at the border crossings with Iran as rundown facilities struggle to cope with the large numbers of devotees attempting to enter.
Several Iranian pilgrims have died this year in car accidents and due to heat, Iraqi authorities have reported.
Arbaeen 2021 in pictures
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Shiite Muslim pilgrims gather at the shrine of Imam Al Abbas in the central Iraqi holy city of Karbala, ahead of the Arbaeen religious festival. AFP -
Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala ahead of Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day after Ashura, commemorating the seventh century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein. AFP -
Shiite Muslim pilgrims gather at the shrine of Imam Al Abbas in the central Iraqi holy city of Karbala. AFP -
Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala. AFP -
Iranian pilgrims sit waiting upon their arrival to Iraq via the Al Shalamija border crossing, west of the southern city of Basra, before starting their journey toward the holy city of Karbala. AFP -
Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala ahead of Arbaeen. AFP -
A young Iranian pilgrim waits at the Al-Shalamija border crossing, west of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, before crossing to Iraq to mark the Arbaeen religious festival, following the reopening of the border that was shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. AFP -
A young Iranian pilgrim waits at the Al-Shalamija border crossing, west of the southern Iraqi city of Basra, before crossing to Iraq to mark the Arbaeen religious festival, on September 25, 2021, follwoing the reopening of the border that was shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. - Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala ahead of Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day after Ashura, commemorating the seventh century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein. (Photo by Hussein FALEH / AFP) -
A young Iranian pilgrim reacts upon his arrival to Iraq via the Al-Shalamija border crossing, west of the southern city of Basra, to mark the Arbaeen religious festival, follwoing the reopening of the border that was shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. - Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers to the holy Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala ahead of Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day after Ashura, commemorating the seventh century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein. AFP -
Iranian pilgrims react upon their arrival to Iraq via the Al Shalamija border crossing. AFP -
Pilgrims arrive to participate in the holy Shi'ite ritual of Arbaeen, on the Iraqi side of the Shalamcha Border Crossing in Basra, Iraq. REUTERS -
An Iranian Shi'ite pilgrim man arrives to participate in the holy Shi'ite ritual of Arbaeen, on the Iraqi side of the Shalamcha Border Crossing in Basra, Iraq. REUTERS -
Shiite pilgrims march from the city of Najaf to the holy city of Karbala in central Iraq early, to mark the Arbaeen religious festival. AFP -
Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims walk to the holy city of Kerbala, ahead of the holy Shi'ite ritual of Arbaeen in Baghdad, Iraq. REUTERS -
Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims walk to the holy city of Kerbala, ahead of the holy Shi'ite ritual of Arbaeen in Baghdad, Iraq. REUTERS -
Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims walk to the holy city of Kerbala, ahead of the holy Shi'ite ritual of Arbaeen in Baghdad, Iraq. REUTERS
