Shafaq News/ Nearly two million pilgrims have entered the Iraqi territory to participate in the Arbaeen pilgrimage with more than a week until the world's largest religious gathering kicks off, a source in the border-crossing administration said on Saturday.

Millions of Shiite Muslims from all over the world travel to the Iraqi city of Kerbala every year for the ritual of Arbaeen, which marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, Imam Hussein. Arbaeen falls on September 16-17 this year.

Iran media projected that nearly three to five million Iranian pilgrims would visit Karbala this year. 

As of yesterday, 1,933,938 pilgrims have entered the Iraqi territory to participate in the multi-million religious observance, according to the source. 

The source said that 949,417 and 222,028 pilgrims had entered Iraq via the Zerbatiya (Wasit) and Sheeb (Maysan) border crossings, respectively. 

"In Basra, 524,985 and 13,874 pilgrims checked in at the border crossings of Shalamcheh and Safwan, respectively," the source added, "142,269 pilgrims entered Diyala via the Munzeriyah border crossing."

Last week, the Islamic Republic reopened its border with Iraq to travelers shortly after Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on his supporters to withdraw from the streets.

Tehran had its borders closed and flights to Iraq halted amid an eruption of violence in the neighboring country following al-Sadr's announcement that he would quit politics. 

The airports of Najaf and Baghdad had received 74,703 and 6,662 pilgrims, according to the data reported by the source.