TEHRAN (Tasnim) Irans Traffic Police Chief Eskandar Momeni predicted that the number of Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq for attending Arbaeen in the holy city of Karbala would pass 1.2 million this year.Up to now, 900,000 Iranian pilgrims who were heading for the Iraqi holy cities have arrived in Iraq, Brigadier General Momeni announced on Monday.
The Arbaeen ceremony, which is held to mark the 40th day after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world and falls on December 13 this year.
This year and given peoples enthusiasm for participating in Arbaeen ceremony in Karbala, the number of pilgrimage trips has reached its climax and it is predicted that over 1.2 million Iranians take part in the event, the Iranian traffic police chief said.
He also emphasized that after the Arbaeen, relief organizations and emergency agencies as well as police forces will be deployed to three main routes swarming with the Iranian pilgrims returning to the country.
About 10,000 police forces will be deployed to control the traffic and ensure security for the pilgrims, Momeni added.
Also, Iran on Friday dispatched a large convoy of medical staff to Iraq to provide services to the Iranian pilgrims who travel to the holy city of Karbala.
The convoy, consisting 25 vehicles, offers medical services to the pilgrims that travel the 80-kilometer route between Najaf and Karbala on foot.
By Tasnim News Agency
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