Hamid Seylavi, Governor of Dasht-e Azadegan County in Khuzestan province, told IRNA on Wednesday that the Chadaba border crossing is open to pave the way for transfer of pilgrims to Al-Atabat Al-Aliyat, which are the shrines of six Shia Imams that are located in four cities of Iraq, namely Najaf, Karbala, Kadhimiya and Samarra.
The official noted that following several sessions between Iraqi and Iranian authorities, the government in Baghdad accepted to reopen the Chadaba border crossing.
Today is known as Mid-Sha'ban, which is the 15th day of the Islamic lunar calendar's eighth month called Sha'ban that marks the birth anniversary of the twelfth Shia Imam known as Imam Mahdi.
According to the Iranian official, the Chadaba border crossing was closed after the Arbaeen that is a Shia religious observance that occurs 40 days after the Day of Ashura, when Imam Hussain (the grandson of Prophet Muhammad) was martyred in Karbala, Iraq, in 680 CE.
Seylavi also noted that the Iranian pilgrims can provide customs offices with authenticate passports to cross the border and visit holy cities of Iraq both in person or in group.
Chadaba border is located in a county with the same name, some 17 kilometers northwest of Bustan city in Khuzestan province, which is adjacent to two Iraqi provinces of Basra and Maysan.
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