Iran’s First Vice-President visits Iraq on Arba’een

Iran’s First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri arrived in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf on Thursday to attend an annual procession of Shia Muslims in commemoration of Arba’een, 40 day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (PBUH), the third infallible successor of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny).

According to Tasnim news agency, heading a delegation, including Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Masoud Soltanifar, Jahangiri has travelled to Iraq to take part in the religious procession between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to pay tribute to Imam Hussein (PBUH).

The Iranian vice president will also visit the holy shrine of Imam Ali (PBUH), the first infallible successor of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny) in the holy city of Najaf during his one-day trip.

Arba’een occurs 40 days after Ashura, the tenth day of the lunar calendar month of Moharram, when Imam Hussein (PBUH), the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny) was martyred at the hands of the tyrant of the time, Yazid I, back in the seventh century.

Last year, around 20 million pilgrims gathered in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, on Arba’een, making the world’s largest annual pilgrimage in modern history.

ME