TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Vice mayor of Tehran said the city�s municipality is going to lend the Iraqi holy cities of Karbala and Najaf a hand with the holding of Arbaeen religious ceremony, which falls in early December.

In a Sunday meeting with governor of Najaf Javad Hussein al-Yasseri in Tehran, Mojtaba Abdollahi said Tehran�s municipality will dispatch more than 2,000 workers to Karbala for municipal services during Arbaeen.

Abdollahi also noted that Iran has made preparations at three western border crossings to facilitate a mass rally of Iranians for Iraq to attend the Arbaeen religious rituals.

Arbaeen comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shiite Imam, Imam Hussein (AS). Each year, a huge crowd of Shiites flock to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.

Earlier on Saturday, the visiting Iraqi governor met Tehran�s Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf to discuss the expansion of relations between the two cities.

In the meeting, Qalibaf voiced Tehran�s readiness to enhance ties with Najaf in diverse fields of municipal management.

Najaf hosts the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS), the first Shiite Imam.

By Tasnim News Agency