During the meeting, the Iranian minister and the Iraqi prime minister reviewed the current status of bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries and voiced support for their expansion to secure both nations’ interests.
The Iraqi side’s double-efforts aimed at facilitating the easy transportations, housing, and other affairs of the Iranian Arbaeen pilgrims were reviewed in detail at the meeting.
Interior Minister Vahidi conveyed the warm regards of President Ebrahim Raisi for Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi and emphasized the importance of comprehensive expansion of Tehran-Baghdad relations and cooperation, IRNA reported.
The Iraqi prime minister, for his part, elaborated on the efforts made by the Prime Minister’s Office for controlling the ongoing political crisis through holding national dialogue, until a sustainable solution aimed at ensuring Iraq’s security and stability will be found.
Iran Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi arrived in Iraq on Thursday morning for negotiations with top Iraqi officials, including his counterpart.
Meanwhile in their meeting in Baghdad on Thursday, Vahidi and the Iraqi interior minister exchanged views of ways to serve Arbaeen pilgrims and remove problems they are facing in border crossings between the two countries.
Reviewing the status of the Arabaeen pilgrims and harmonizing the Iranian officials’ efforts with the Iraqi officials for greater harmony in presentation of services to the pilgrims are among the reasons for Vahidi’s ongoing visit tof Iraq.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, in a phone conversation with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the generous hospitality of the Iraqi government and people to the pilgrims.
Amirabdollahian called for further arrangements and coordination for the arrival of Iranian pilgrims via land and air routes and also for facilitation of entry of Afghan and Pakistani nationals through Iran’s borders.
The Iraqi top diplomat promised in the telephone conversation to follow up on the affairs of the Arbaeen pilgrims, saying the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s interior minister in Baghdad on Thursday is a good opportunity to closely check the affairs and make the necessary coordination in this regard.
The Arbaeen mourning ceremony is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
It marks the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Imam Hussein (AS).
Each year during the Arbaeen season, pilgrims, mainly from Iraq and Iran, travel long routes on foot to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located.
Arbaeen will fall on September 17 this year.
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