Iran President-elect Eyes ‘Magnificent’ Arbaeen with Iraqi Cooperation
He made the comments in a phone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Tuesday.
“The Arbaeen procession is a magnificent reflection of the deep cultural and religious ties between Iran and Iraq,” Pezeshkian said.
“We have always appreciated the generous support and hospitality of the Iraqi government and people toward Iranian pilgrims,” he added.
“We hope that this year, with the help of the Iraqi government, our country's pilgrims, along with those from other countries, will be able to participate in another magnificent Arbaeen,” he said.
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The Arbaeen mourning ceremony is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
It marks the 40th day after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Imam Hussein (AS). This year’s Arbaeen is expected to fall on August 25, depending on the moonsighting.
Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.
The pilgrims, mainly from Iraq and Iran, travel long routes on foot to the holy city.
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Elsewhere in the conversation, Pezeshkian also appreciated the congratulatory messages of the Iraqi government and nation over his victory in the election.
He secured the presidency with over 16 million votes, surpassing Saeed Jalili's 13 million, from a total of more than 30 million ballots in the July 5 election.
Iran and Iraq have always supported each other in many areas, and Iraq holds a significant position in the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pezeshkian said.
Elsewhere, the president-elect expressed gratitude to the Iraqi government for its "wise and dignified" stance against the Israeli regime's crimes against the oppressed people of Gaza and for assisting in treating wounded Palestinians.
For his part, al-Sudani said that the president-elect of Iran's commitment to strengthening relations with neighboring countries benefits both the Iranian nation and the entire region.
This initiative is highly significant and valuable for the Iraqi government, he said, hoping to witness even stronger and deeper ties between the two countries in the near future.
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