TEHRAN – The deputy commander of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) at Imam Ali Central Security Base on Saturday underscored that Iran’s entire border crossings with Iraq are safe and secure.

Brigadier General Gholamhossein Qeib Parvar reiterated that Iran’s border crossings with Iraq are safe and durable security is restored to the entire border crossing as always. He added that people can travel without any worry or problem.

In his visit to border terminals in Shalamcheh and Chazabeh in the southeastern province of Khuzestan that borders Iraq, the IRGC commander told the Mehr News Agency that the entire border crossings with Iraq enjoy high-level security and Araba’een pilgrims can safely cross the border crossings into Iraq.

“Cooperation and coordination among the entire security, police and executive bodies in Khuzestan province put an end to some (who are) worried about traffic of pilgrims from the Chazabeh border crossing,” he stated, adding that security at the Shalamcheh border crossing is also at a high level. 

The Arba'een pilgrimage is the world's largest annual public gathering that is held every year in Karbala, Iraq, at 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 Shiite Imam, Hossein bin Ali's in 680.

Anticipating Arba'een, or the fortieth day of the martyrdom, the pilgrims make their journey to Karbala on foot, where Imam Hossein and his companions were martyred and beheaded by the army of Yazid I in the Battle of Karbala.

MJ/PA