President Rouhani appreciates Iraq for hosting Arba’een pilgrims

According to Tasnim news agency, in a message to Iraq’s President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on Sunday, the Iranian president expressed his sincere gratitude to the Iraqi officials, clerics and religious authorities who spared no effort to provide security for the Arba’een pilgrims and offered warm hospitality.

He also hailed the Arba’een processions as a manifestation of solidarity and proximity between people of Iran and Iraq and a testimony to the formation of a united front against injustice, discrimination and violence.

The huge congregation proved that Arba’een is not just an event in the calendar, but a lasting and historic miracle and an immense media for presenting the culture of Ashura, Rouhani added.

The president also paid tribute to the pious and giving people of Iraq who generously hosted millions of pilgrims from Iran and other countries during the Arba’een season.

Around 3.5 million Iranians travelled to Iraq over the past few days to take part in this year’s Arba’een mourning processions.

Arba’een, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shias’ Imam, Imam Hussein (PBUH).

Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to the Iraqi holy city of Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (PBUH) is located, to perform mourning rites.