AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Alireza Rashidian, the head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, in an interview with Arbaeen Radio, described this year's Arbaeen as special and different due to the current circumstances and its connection with the movement of the leadership. He emphasized that the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization will devote all its efforts to holding a ceremony befitting and worthy of these days.
Referring to the operation of the "Samah" system since the beginning of July, Rashidian announced that nearly 880,000 people have registered in this system so far. Advising pilgrims to register early, he added, "Clearly specifying the travel route (land or air) and the duration of stay in the system will help service committees to plan more precisely for providing services." He also asked pilgrims to consider their stay as short as possible to facilitate service delivery.
The head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization stated that necessary coordination with the Red Crescent Society has been made for providing medical services along the route. In another part of his remarks, he referred to innovations in handling missing persons and said, "This year, in each procession, a person with the 'Arbaeen Helper' system will be stationed as the guide for missing persons and lost items."
Providing field details, he announced the deployment of 1,300 honorary agents to guide pilgrims at borders, in Iraqi cities, and on routes leading to the shrines. He added, "Planning has been done to establish guidance stations, including 34 stations in Karbala, 13 in Najaf, 9 in Kazimayn, and 8 in Samarra (plus one station in the Sayyid Mohammad area)."
Rashidian also noted that for foreign pilgrims entering the country through the Mirjaveh and Dogharoun borders, special processions and guidance services have been arranged to use the Iranian route for the Arbaeen pilgrimage.
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