Shafaq News/ More than 272 thousand visitors from Iran entered Iraqi territories through two border crossings to participate in the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala, two Iranian officers said on Saturday.
Nader Ameed Zadeh, the governor of Khorramshahr city in Khuzestan Province (southwestern Iran), told Iran's Fars News Agency that since the beginning of the month of Safar (which started on August 18th), more than 200 thousand individuals had entered Iraq through the Shalamcheh International Border Crossing to participate in the Arbaeen ceremonies.
He highlighted that the movement of pilgrims at the Shalamcheh border crossing runs smoothly without any complications.
He also noted that only foreign nationals residing in Iran are allowed to visit the holy shrines in Iraq through this particular crossing.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Khanji, the assistant coordinator for reconstruction affairs in Khuzestan, reported that about 72 thousand Iranian and non-Iranian visitors had crossed the "Jazib" border since the beginning of Safar.
Khanji described the traffic movement at this border as "fluid and straightforward". He projected that the number of visitors, which stood at 71,634 as of the previous Friday, would increase as the Arbaeen ceremony approaches.
Khanji mentioned that the service caravans catering to visitors at the "Jazib" border operate 24/7.