Tehran, YJC. The spokesman for the Iranian administration Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said Iran, trying to facilitate the movement of pilgrims, plans to connect its railroad network to Iraq.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting
on Wednesday, he said during the cabinet meeting the order to join Iran’s
railroad network with that of Iraq was issued.
"The project can be beneficial for further relations between
the two countries and the two nations, especially for the pilgrims who travel
to the holy city of Karbala,” the spokesman said.
Nobakht remarks came as the number of Iranian pilgrims
traveling to Iraq for attending Arbaeen day of mourning for Shia Imam Hussain
this year has reached 1.2 million.
The Arbaeen mourning event, which is held to mark the 40th
day since the anniversary of the Imam Hussein’s martyrdom, is becoming one of
the largest gatherings in the world. The day falls on December 13 this year.
Every year, pilgrims, mainly from Iraq and Iran, travel long
distances mostly on foot to the holy city of Karbala, where the Shia Imam
Hussain ibn Ali lies.