TEHRAN – The Arba’een Central Headquarters has put the number of Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq for this year’s march so far at more than 650,000.
In a statement, the headquarters announced that a total of 659,540 pilgrims from Iran have already crossed into Iraq for the annual procession.
Nearly 2.2 million Iranians have registered their names in the Samah system to take part in the pilgrimage, he said. 
Referring to the large number of devotees of Imam Hussein (AS) from different countries expected to participate in the spiritual journey, the statement advised the Iranian pilgrims to minimize their stay in Iraq, especially in the holy city of Karbala.
Arba’een is a religious event that is observed on the 40th day after the Day of Ashura. It commemorates the 40th day of martyrdom of Hussein ibn Ali (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and the third Shia imam, who was martyred by the army of Yazid I in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. 
Arba’een is also known as the Ziyarat of Arba’een, which means the visitation of Imam Hussein’s (AS) shrine in Karbala, where his body lies in rest. Ziyarat is an act of pilgrimage and devotion in Shia Islam.
Arba’een is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world, with millions of pilgrims from different countries walking to Karbala from various cities in Iraq and neighboring countries. The distance can range from 80 km to 500 km or more, depending on the starting point.
This year’s Arba’een falls on August 25.