AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The custodian of Imam Reza shrine has expressed readiness to cooperate with the government in a bid to resolve problems affecting pilgrims in the city of Mashhad, northeast Iran.
Imam Reza shrine’s custodian, Hoj. Ahmad Marvi, sat for talks with the visiting Vice President, Dr. Mohammad Mokhber, and discussed problems pilgrims deal with in their pilgrimage to the shrine.
“I would like to express gratitude to the government for the significance attached to pilgrimage and spiritual matters, and your visit today signals this great concern”, said Hoj. Marvi in his meeting with a group of high-ranking government officials.
He expressed hope that the visit would result in the provision of more decent services to pilgrims, particularly during the last ten days of Safar (the second month on the Lunar calendar) in short term, and the necessary infrastructure for a cheaper pilgrimage together with convenience for pilgrims in the long term.
Pointing to the mourning ceremonies at the end of Safar and Imam Reza’s martyrdom anniversary, the custodian noted: “It is incumbent upon the organization to assist the governmental sectors in charge of pilgrimage affairs, so we are ready to draw upon all our capacities in this regard.”
MARVI also lamented the poor conditions of the surrounding areas and deemed it unbecoming for Imam Reza shrine’s lofty standing and the country as a whole. “The worn-out urban fabric around the shrine needs to be dealt with through national determination and managers’ hard work. The problem will not be resolved unless the government does take it seriously”.
He pointed finger at the profiteering look towards this grave issue in the past and attributed the abortive renovation process to the lack of a cultural and social outlook.
He further enumerated the existing problems such as lack of affordable and decent guesthouses and parking space around the shrine, etc.
.........................
End/ 257