TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has thanked the Iraqi officials, people and clerics for hosting millions of pilgrims during the Arbaeen season and said the Arbaeen gathering has turned into a “lasting historic miracle”.

“This gathering shows that Arbaeen is not just an occasion on calendar, but a lasting historic miracle and a most powerful media to introduce Imam Hussein (AS) culture and Ashura,” Rouhani said in a message to Iraqi President Barham Salih and Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi published on Sunday.

He added that the Arbaeen march shows unity and solidarity between the Iraqis and the Iranians and is an example of forming a “united front against violence and discrimination”.

In a separate message to pilgrims of Arbaeen, Rouhani said that participation in the march has shown power of Islam and also disappointed enemies.

Arbaeen comes 40 days after Ashura, the day marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

Each year, a huge crowd of people flock to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein is located, to perform mourning rites.

Considering one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, this year more than 20 million pilgrims visited the shrine of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and third Shia Imam, to mark Arbaeen.

According to reports, more than three million Iranian pilgrims traveled to Iraq this year to attend the mourning rituals.

This year, visa requirement was removed for the pilgrims as a “positive step” toward paving the way for more Iranian pilgrims to visit the neighboring country.

Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri has thanked the Iraqi government and nation for their warm hospitality during the Arbaeen season.

“Hosting such number of pilgrims, given certain infrastructural shortcomings, is a difficult job and the Iranian government and people thank the government and nation of Iraq for their hospitality,” Jahangiri said on Saturday in a meeting with Governor of Najaf Luay al-Yassiry.

He also said the gathering of millions of devotees of Imam Hussein (AS) from different sects and religions and countries during the Arbaeen season is a show of friendship, solidarity and unity in the Islamic world, Mehr reported.

Jahangiri also held a phone conversation with the Iraqi prime minister on Saturday, saying that Arbaeen march shows unity in the world of Islam.

NA/PA