Thursday, October 08, 2020

Iran’s Police Chief Stresses Iraqi Border Closure for Arbaeen

Iran’s Police Chief Stresses Iraqi Border Closure for Arbaeen
TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian police Chief Brigadier General Hossein Ashtari said the borders with Iraq are sealed off during Arbaeen, and appreciated people for observing the directives of Iran's National Coronavirus Taskforce.

Ashtari said according to the decision of the taskforce, all commutations through Iran-Iraq common borders have been banned.

He praised people's good cooperation with the police to confront the virus epidemic.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, Commander of the Border Guards of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police Brigadier-General Ahmad Ali Goudarzi said that Iran and Iraq emphasize on keeping the borders closed, so the pilgrims should not go to the borders under any conditions.

Touring Shalamcheh border late on Sunday, he pointed out that the border is closed for Arbaeen pilgrims and Iraq does not receive pilgrims on its borders.

This year, Arbaeen March will not be held as it was announced both by the Iraqi government and Iran's National Coronavirus Taskforce earlier, he said, noting that the Iraqi officials have repeatedly stressed in joint talks with Iranian counterparts that no decision will be made on reopening the borders.

Security at the country's borders is stable and there is no problem at present, the commander added.

Arbaeen marks the end of a 40-day mourning period following Ashura, the religious ritual that commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) grandson and the Third Imam of Shia Muslims, Imam Hossein (PBUH).

Over the past years, millions of Shia Muslims from around the world, including Iran, flocked to the Iraqi city of Karbala for the pilgrimage, but this year the ceremony will not be held due to spread of coronavirus.

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