Tehran, IRNA- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday said that holding Arbaeen rituals depends on the approval of the Iraqi government.

Arbaeen marks the 40th day of martyrdom of Imam Hossein (AS) and 72 of his companions in 680 AD in a land known today as Iraq after they refused to pledge allegiance to the tyrant Yazid.

President Raisi pointed out that if people are eager to take part in the Arbaeen ceremony they need the approval of the Ministry of Health.

Those people must receive both doses of COVID-19 vaccines, he further noted.

Every year, Muslim pilgrims from across the world flock to Iraq in the weeks leading to Arbaeen and walk toward Karbala on foot.

Earlier on August 5, President Raisi in a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih stressed the need to facilitate the traffic of pilgrims of the Holy Shrines, Arbaeen march, and attend mourning ceremonies in Karbala, including accelerating the launch of the Khorramshahr-Basra railway line.

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