Iranian national who evaded Najaf airport controls arrested

NAJAF — Security personnel at Najaf International Airport have detained an Iranian traveler who previously evaded airport controls and entered the city despite being prohibited from doing so. The individual was found within the Imam Ali Shrine and has since been deported to Iran.

Ahmed Al-Jabri, director of the Jack Arz Security Company overseeing airport security, informed 964media, “We apprehended the Iranian individual who escaped from the airport inside the Imam Ali Shrine.”

Al-Jabri detailed that plainclothes security officers were deployed throughout the old city and the shrine’s vicinity. “With the cooperation of the Imam Ali Shrine administration, we identified and immediately arrested the individual,” he stated.

The detainee was transported back to the airport and deported to Iran. Al-Jabri noted that the individual had previously entered Iraq illegally, was arrested, deported, and banned from re-entry. Undeterred, he returned two days ago via Najaf Airport, claiming a desire to visit the Imam Ali Shrine. Amid the crowd, he managed to flee the airport into the city.

Najaf and Karbala hold profound significance for Shia Muslims worldwide. Najaf is home to the Imam Ali Mosque, the burial site of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first Imam in Shia Islam. This makes Najaf a central pilgrimage destination, drawing millions of devotees annually.

This year, the Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq attracted over 21 million Shia Muslims, marking one of the largest religious gatherings globally. The event, which culminated on August 25, 2024, commemorates the 40 th day of mourning for Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad and a central figure in Shia Islam.