TEHRAN - Zanjan province has welcomed tourists and photographers from nine countries to participate in the annual Tasu’a and Ashura mourning ceremonies, a significant religious event commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS).

On Wednesday, Davoud Abyan, the deputy director of Zanjan’s tourism directorate, announced the international presence, noting the province’s tradition of hosting foreign visitors during these solemn occasions.

This year, foreign nationals joined tours that included events such as reciting elegies (rouzeh), chest-beating rituals (sineh-zani), cooking and distributing ceremonial food (nazri), carrying palm structures (nakhl-bardari), and performing traditional passion plays (ta’zieh), Abyan explained.

He said that the visitors came from the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Pakistan, Yemen, India, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Bahrein and Afghanistan.

“Additionally, Zanjan hosted domestic tourists from 18 provinces.”

Abyan emphasized that the foreign tourists, after experiencing the Tasu’a and Ashura ceremonies, gained a profound understanding of the tragic events of Karbala and the purpose of Imam Hussain’s uprising. He expressed that these visitors have now become potential ambassadors for the culture of Tasu’a and Ashura, helping to spread awareness about the significance of these events globally.

AM