Thousands of Iranian pilgrims enter Iraq for Ashura observances

WASIT — The Zurbatiya border crossing in Wasit governorate began receiving thousands of pilgrims from Iran on Saturday as they travel to Karbala to mark Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram.

Video footage showed large crowds of visitors gathering inside passport halls awaiting clearance procedures at the crossing.

The influx comes as Iraq experiences extreme summer conditions, with the country’s meteorological authority forecasting temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celsius in parts of the country over the coming days.

At the same time, the Interior Ministry announced the completion of its security and service plan for Muharram to support religious events and ceremonies across Iraq while maintaining traffic flow and public movement.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds particular significance for Shiite Muslims, commemorating the events leading to the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE, when Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was killed along with many of his family and companions by the forces of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid. Ashura falls on the 10th day of Muharram and marks the death of Hussein. Arbaeen, meaning “forty” in Arabic, falls 40 days later and marks the end of the mourning period.

Iraq had previously declared June 16 a public holiday across all ministries and government institutions to mark the first day of Muharram and the start of the new Hijri year.