Kurdistan Region prepares to receive Iranian visitors for Arbaeen pilgrimage

SULAYMANIYAH, August 19 — The Kurdistan Region has completed its preparations to welcome over a thousand Iranian visitors daily through the Bashmakh border crossing to participate in the Arbaeen pilgrimage. The drivers’ union has organized 100 buses, priced at 27,000 Iraqi dinars per person, to transport them from the border crossing to Sulaymaniyah and then on to Baghdad.

Sadiq Mohammed – Director of Sulaymaniyah Transportation for Network 964:
“Coordination has been established with transportation companies to transport the visitors from the border crossing to Sulaymaniyah using buses, at a cost of 7,000 dinars per passenger. They will then be transferred to Baghdad for 20,000 dinars. A special committee will ensure no monopolies on the visitors.”

Miryawan Karim – Media representative of the Bashmakh Border Crossing for Network 964:
“All necessary measures have been taken for the arrival of visitors, including provisions of water, food, and facilitating passport stamping.”

“The Bashmakh border crossing can handle up to 25,000 visitors daily, so we have prepared 100 small, medium, and large buses.”

Azad Ahmed – Administrator at the Drivers’ Union for Network 964:
“The process of transferring visitors from the border to Baghdad has been contracted to a single company at a cost of 27,000 dinars after a bidding process involving three companies.”

Network 964:
The Arbaeen pilgrimage is expected to begin on September 6, 2023, during which millions of Shia Muslims from around the world will gather in Najaf and Karbala for this significant event.