TEHRAN, Iran, Oct. 6
Trend:
Iran Customs Administration spokesman Seyed Ruhollah Hosseini has announced about the official order from the Iraqi side that the country's common borders with Iran will be closed due to Arbaeen.
The holiday marks the end of the 40-day mourning period following Ashura, the religious ritual for the commemoration of martyrdom of the grandson of Prophet Mohammad and the third Shia Muslim Imam, Husayn ibn Ali's in 61 AH (680 AD).
"With the announcement of the Iraqi officials, the borders of Chazabeh, Shalamcheh, Mehran and Khosravi, will be closed on the 8th of October (coinciding with Arbaeen day),” Hosseini said, Trend reports citing the official website of the Customs Administration.
"Due to the coronavirus outbreak and Iraq`s restrictions on accepting foreign nationals for the Arbaeen ceremony, the borders announced will be closed,” he said.
This year, due to the spread of the coronavirus, it has been decided to hold the limited Arbaeen ceremony in Iraq, and no pilgrims from other countries will be allowed to enter Iraq during this time.
Each year, millions of pilgrims converge in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala on Arbaeen. A large majority of these pilgrims travel from Iran, which shares multiple borders with Iraq.