Tasnim – Commander of the Special Unit of Iran’s Law Enforcement Force Brigadier General Hassan Karami said his forces would create six layers of security along the common borders with Iraq to ensure the safety of pilgrims during Arbaeen mourning ceremony later this month.


Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to the western city of Dehloran near the Iraqi border on Monday, Brigadier General Karami said like previous years, the Special Unit of the Law Enforcement Force has been stationed in Mehran border crossing in the western province of Ilam to provide security for Arbaeen pilgrims.

“Establishing 6 layers of security to ensure the pilgrims’ safety and covering the 11-kilometer Za’er (Pilgrim) Bridge in Mehran, are included in the operations of the Special Unit…,” he noted.

The commander further said that the objective behind the visit to Dehloran is to examine “the operational capabilities” of the forces in emergency cases.

Arbaeen, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, 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.

Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq by land can choose from three border crossings, Shalamcheh, Chazzabeh and Mehran.

This year’s Arbaeen falls on October 30.