TEHRAN – Imam Khomeini International Airport has operated 979 flights between Iran and Iraq since the beginning of the Arbaeen season on October 9.

“During the period, 164,739 passengers were transported from the airport to Najaf and Baghdad,” the airport news service quoted Hassan Khoshkhoo, the deputy director for Airport Operations Department at Imam Khomeini Airport City (IKAC), as saying on Monday.

Last year, over 15 million Arbaeen pilgrims left Iran for Najaf and Baghdad to visit the shrine of Imam Hussein (AS), he said.

“Imam Khomeini International Airport registered 47,446 takeoffs and landings in the last fiscal year that ended on March 20, 2019, register a 19% decline year on year. More than 7.27 million passengers and 141,704 tons of cargos were transported from the airport during the period to rank third on the list of Iran’s busiest airports in 2018.”

Arbaeen marks an end to the 40-day mourning period following martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) and his loyal companions at the Battle of Karbala on Muharram 10 in the year 61 AH (680 CE). This year, Arbaeen fell on October 19.

AFM/MG