TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday said this year’s Arba’een procession demonstrated the strong ties between the Iranian and Iraqi nations.
In a post on his Twitter account, Amir-Abdollahian thanked the people, government and armed forces of Iraq for hosting Iranian and non-Iranian pilgrims during the Arba’een season.
“This year’s Arba’een rituals once again proved that the two nations of Iran and Iraq have an unbreakable bond,” he said.
More than three million Iranians traveled to Iraq in recent days to take part in the annual Arba’een procession.
On Saturday, 21 millions black-clad pilgrims gathered at Imam Hussein holy shrine in Karbala to commemorate the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, who was martyred along with his 72 companions in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD.
The annual event, which is one of the largest religious congregations in the world, brings together a deluge of Imam Hussein’s lovers and devotees from various nationalities who undertake an 80-km walk between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.