Iraq
Shiite Muslim devotees gather in Iraq's central holy shrine city of Karbala on September 17, 2022. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iranian embassy in Iraq Saturday evening thanked the Iraqi government for providing services to the Iranian people during Arbaeen, Iranian state media reported after millions of pilgrims visited Karbala for the occasion.
“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq assumes its level of gratitude and appreciation to the friendly and brotherly government of the Republic of Iraq … and all Hosseini lovers who humbly welcomed the pilgrims in their homes,” the Iranian embassy said, calling the ceremony the “largest gathering of people in the world.”
The Arbaeen ritual marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for the death of Imam Hussein, the third Shiite Imam and grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, in 680 AD. The festival is marked by an annual journey by millions of Shiite followers from around the world toward Iraq’s holy city of Karbala.
The organization that manages the mausoleum of Abbas reported that over 21 million pilgrims flocked to the central Iraqi city this year as conditions returned to normal following two years of the coronavirus pandemic and border restrictions.
Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi revealed on Tuesday that over three million Iranian pilgrims crossed the Iraqi border to partake in the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
Earlier in September, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also thanked the Iraqi people and the government for their hospitality and their efforts to ensure the safe passage of the Iranian pilgrims.
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