AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Iran’s Political-Consular Committee of Arbaeen has held its 9th meeting in the capital Tehran to review the measures to provide services to pilgrims to Karbala during an annual event that marks the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to IRNA, the meeting was chaired by Alireza Bigdeli as Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary, and Iranian expatriates Affairs at the Foreign Ministry and the head of the Political-Consular Committee of Arbaeen, with the presence of other members.
Bigdeli expressed his satisfaction with the measures taken by working groups just like the Muharram commemoration and emphasized the need to continue the process.
He informed that Iranian Embassy in Baghdad and consular divisions in the cities of Karbala, Najaf, Basra, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are busy with setting up of camps and other necessary activities and arrangements for the Iranian pilgrims, foreign nationals residing in Iran and foreign pilgrims who will travel through Iran.
At the end of the meeting, various working groups presented their reports regarding the latest measures taken.
Usually on foot, for about 20 days, the pilgrims trek hundreds of kilometers from cities around Iraq and Iran to the holy city of Karbala where they pay their homage to Imam Hussein.
To mark the 40th day of mourning for Hussein – the traditional mourning period – the pilgrims arrive in Karbala to pay tribute at his shrine, which is surrounded by millions on the final day of Arbaeen.
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