Thousands of Iranian pilgrims cross Shalamcheh border en route to Holy Karbala for Arbaeen

Thousands of Iranian pilgrims cross Shalamcheh border en route to Holy Karbala for Arbaeen
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The Shalamcheh border crossing in Iraq’s southern Basra province is witnessing a growing influx of pilgrims from Iran heading toward the holy city of Karbala to participate in the Arbaeen pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

Basra’s Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs, Maher Ibrahim al-Amiri, conducted an inspection tour at the border point alongside Aqeel al-Freiji, head of the provincial council’s security committee, to assess the services in place and the readiness to receive millions of pilgrims in the coming days.

Al-Amiri stated that Basra’s local government teams are fully mobilized to provide various services for incoming visitors. He noted that the number of pilgrims entering through the Shalamcheh crossing has exceeded 5,000 daily, with expectations of a sharp increase as the peak of the pilgrimage approaches.

For his part, al-Freiji affirmed that security forces have implemented tight protection measures for processions and pilgrims along the route from Shalamcheh to Holy Karbala. He added that coordination with security commands in the southern and central provinces is ongoing to ensure smooth movement and the safety of participants in the massive religious event.