Tasnim – Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri arrived in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Thursday to attend an annual procession of Shiite Muslims in commemoration of Arbaeen, the 40th day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS).

Heading a delegation, including Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Masoud Soltanifar, Jahangiri has travelled to Iraq to take part in the religious procession between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to pay tribute to Imam Hussein (AS).

The Iranian vice president will also visit the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS), the first Shiite Imam, in the city of Najaf during his one-day trip.

The Arbaeen mourning ceremony is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Each year, millions of pilgrims, mainly from Iraq and Iran, travel long routes on foot to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located.

Last year, around 20 million pilgrims gathered in Karbala on Arbaeen, making the world’s largest human gathering in modern history.