Iran Top General Hails Good Security in Arabaeen Pilgrimage despite Plots

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony held Thursday to highlight Iranian armed forces’ contribution to the security during the Arbaeen pilgrimage, Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri thanked Iraqi officials for providing various services to the pilgrims during the religious rituals.

Saying that many attempts were made during this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage to create insecurity, he said that in spite of such attempts, this year’s pilgrimage "was exemplary in terms of security and no security and terrorist incidents occurred.”

He also noted that all Iranian pilgrims taking part in the rituals returned home safely.

This year, Iraq granted more than 2.3 million Iranian applicants visas for going on pilgrimage to the Arab country to perform mourning rituals marking Arbaeen, the major Shiite occasion marking the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shiite Imam, which fell on November 9.

Around 20 million pilgrims from all over the world gathered in Karbala on Arbaeen. The Iraqi city hosts the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS).