Iranian pilgrims visit Iraqi holy shrines

For the first time since the eruption of the Iraqi - Iranian war in 1980 and ten years after the war ended, the first group of Iranian Shiite pilgrimages arrived in Iraq. The group comprises 750 persons. It is led by Iranian minister of culture and religious guidance Atallah Muhajarani.

At the two countries' borders at Lunziriyah border center, 150 km east of Baghdad, the group was welcomed by the Iraqi al-Awqaf Minister Abdul Menem Ahmad Saleh. The Iranian pilgrims will visit the holy shrines in Baghdad, al-Najaf, Karbala and Samerra.

On July 8 the governments of Iraq and Iran reached an accord concerning the visits of Iranians to Shiite holy shrines at an average of 3,000 visitors per week as of August 15.

The Iraqi News Agency quoted the Iranian visiting minister as saying, "The visits to the holy shrines are the best means to strengthen cooperation ties between our two countries."

Earlier, thousands of Iranians arrived in Iraq via a third country. Their first group arrive via Syria in October 1997.