“So far, 3,646,262 pilgrims have left the country’s borders to visit the sacred shrines, and 1,608,598 pilgrims have returned to the country as of 24:00 last night,” Seyed Majid Mir-Ahmadi told IRNA on Sunday.
He added that the figures show a 17% increase in the number of pilgrims attending the Arbaeen pilgrimage compared to previous years.
Mir-Ahmadi further said that there has been a 19% increase in the number of pilgrims returning to the country so far, which indicates that pilgrims travel to Iraq earlier and stay shorter in the Arab country compared to previous years.
He also said that in order to facilitate the pilgrimage, the Iranian administration has invested heavily in the infrastructures and land routes, such as the Ilam road to the Mehran border crossing.
The Ahvaz to Shalamcheh border road has now four lanes, which has led to a sharp decrease in traffic congestion there.
Arbaeen marks 40 days after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hossein whose holy shrine is located in the city of Karbala.
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