Land border between Iran and Iraq reopens for pilgrims vis free

Iraq has made good on its promise to let Iranian pilgrims enter the country visa-free through the land border between the two countries.

Reports say following a pledge by Iraq’s Interior Minister Othman al-Qanemi in talks with Iranian officials, Iraqi security forces were deployed to the land border crossings and now Iranians may cross into the Arab country for pilgrimage without having to get visas.

Pilgrimage to holy sites in Iraq is now allowed after 27 months. During the period, the sites were closed mainly due to the Covid pandemic.

The director of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization says the religious visits to Iraq are starting this week though as per the Iraqi interior minister they were supposed to begin last week.

Seyyed Sadegh Hosseini added that 2,500 Iranian pilgrims travel to Iraq each day via the land border.

During his negotiations with Iranian officials, the Iraqi interior minister added that Iraq had already waived visa for Iranians who travel to the Arab country by air.

IFP Editorial Staff

The IFP Editorial Staff is composed of dozens of skilled journalists, news-writers, and analysts whose works are edited and published by experienced editors specialized in Iran News. The editor of each IFP Service is responsible for the report published by the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website, and can be contacted through the ways mentioned in the "IFP Editorial Staff" section.