All articles tagged with #karbala
In Karbala, about 20 million Shia pilgrims attend Arbaeen, with a large Iranian presence, to mourn Imam Hussein at the Imam Hussein Shrine; the mass pilgrimage is interwoven with regional politics, notably around Iran’s leadership and perceptions of U.S. and Israeli actions, while Iraq’s Shiite-led governance and Iran’s influence are on display through processions, portraits, and prayers.
Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's coffin was carried through Najaf's Imam Ali shrine and Karbala's Imam Hussein shrine in Iraq as thousands attended funeral ceremonies ahead of his burial in Mashhad, with prayers inside the shrines and chants reported; President Masoud Pezeshkian attended, Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear, and the events occurred amid broader US‑Iran tensions and indirect talks in Doha.
Millions across Iran and around the world observe Ashura, mourning Imam Hussein's martyrdom at Karbala with chest-beating, elegies, and communal meals, as pilgrims travel to Karbala; the observance comes during the first Muharram since Iran's Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in February.
Over 600 Shia pilgrims in Iraq were hospitalized with respiratory issues after inhaling chlorine gas from a water treatment leak between Najaf and Karbala, with all patients recovering well. The incident occurred during the period of mourning for Imam Hussein, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges in Iraq.
A bus carrying Shiite pilgrims to the Iraqi city of Karbala overturned near Balad, north of Baghdad, resulting in the death of 18 people, including 10 Iranians, two Iraqis, and six individuals of unknown nationality. The annual pilgrimage of Arbaeen attracts millions of believers from Iraq, Iran, and Gulf countries, making it the largest annual public gathering globally. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was present at the Shalamcheh border crossing to observe the entry of Iranian pilgrims and laid the foundation stone for a railway project connecting the two countries.