Millions in Iran mark 8th Shia Imam’s martyrdom anniversary

Millions of people in Iran mourn the martyrdom anniversary of the 8th Shia Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Reza.

As of Wednesday morning, over five million pilgrims from all over Iran and abroad have converged on the northeastern city of Mashhad, that houses Imam Reza’s holy shrine.

Over 375 thousand of the pilgrims took the pilgrimage to the holy city on foot, as a show of respect and devotion to the revered Imam.

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian is also in the city to join the crowd and take part in the event.

Similar events and mourning ceremonies are underway in other cities and towns across Iran to commemorate Imam’s martyrdom, including in the city of Qom, where the holy shrine of Imam Reza’s sister, Hazarat Fatima Masumeh, is located.

Imam Reza was poisoned by the Abbasid Caliph Ma’mun in the year 818 AD. The martyrdom anniversary, which falls on September 4 this year, is a national holiday in Iran.

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