Roads, border jammed as millions of Iranian pilgrims head to Iraq

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - All routes leading to Iran's multiple border crossings with Iraq were jammed on Thursday as millions of Iranians headed to the neighboring country for the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage.

Arbaeen marks 40 days since Ashura (10th day of Islamic month Muharram) and sees millions of people from across the world walking by foot between the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala. A vast majority of pilgrims come from Iran.

This year's Arbaeen pilgrimage comes after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the first time Iranian nationals have been given visa exemption by the Iraqi government.

According to rough estimates, around 5 million Iranians are heading to Iraq for the pilgrimage, resulting in traffic jams and chaos at the border crossings in the western provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan.

Officials temporarily closed the Shalemcheh and Chazaba border crossings in Khuzestan province, which connect with Iraq's city of Basra, after an overwhelming rush of pilgrims caused chaos.

At Mehran border crossing in Ilam province, which connects with Iraq's Diyala governorate, pilgrims were stranded for several hours, Anadolu Agency learned, with no transport to ferry them on the Iraqi side.

Iran's Vice President Mohammad Mokhber traveled to the Mehran border crossing on Thursday to take stock of problems facing the Iranian pilgrims, his office said.

According to the border police, a large majority of pilgrims prefer Mehran border crossing, followed by Shalamcheh and Chazaba. A small percentage cross through Khosravi, Tamrchin, and Bashmaq crossings.

Amid growing problems for Iranian pilgrims, Iran's Interior Minister Ahmed Wahedi traveled to Baghdad to meet Iraqi officials in a bid to resolve the issues.

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also spoke over phone with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, calling for hassle-free arrangements for pilgrims traveling to Iraq by land or air.

He also raised the issue of problems being faced by Pakistani and Afghan pilgrims, his office said, who are also said to be stranded at the Iran-Iraq border for days.

It is estimated that over 20 million pilgrims are expected to travel to Iraq for Arbaeen this year.