Zolfaghari asks Iraq to further help with Arabeen precession

Iranian Arbaeen Headquarters Chief Hossein Zolfaghari met with Nasir Abdulmohsen Abdullah, Iraqi Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran, at the Interior Ministry in Tehran on Wednesday to coordinate efforts before sending 30,000 Iranian pilgrims to Iraq to attend the Arbaeen pilgrimage.

It is worth mentioning that the Iraqi cabinet agreed on Sunday that as many as 30,000 Iranian Arbaeen pilgrims are allowed to travel to Iraq only via Iraq’s international airports.

Emphasizing that this year’s Arbaeen will be a limited ceremony due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Iranian official said that the Iraqi government has set aside a quota of 30,000 people for the Iranian pilgrims this year.

The Arbaeen Headquarters chief added that the 30,000 Iranian pilgrims could only go to Iraq by air, saying that the heath of the pilgrims is a top priority and only those who have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccines and do not have additional illnesses could travel to Iraq. 

Zolfaghari asked the Iraqi ambassador to take into account the fact that the pilgrims sent from Iran have taken valid PCR tests at home so that the PCR test should not be taken again at the Iraqi airport as the tests cost nearly 40 US dollars. 

He also called on the Iraqi side to prepare the airports, especially Najaf airport so that the passengers are not held there for a long time.

The Iranian official also called for the accelerated issuance of visas for the Iranian pilgrims as no much time left before the Arbaeen day. 

Zolfaghari also asked the Iraqi ambassador that to reduce the costs of the trip for the Iranian pilgrims by allowing them to return home by land.