TEHRAN, Aug. 13 (MNA) – The head of the Iranian traffic police said that as many as 550,000 pilgrims have been to Iraq on Arbaeen pilgrimage this year by land so far two weeks before Arbaeen Day.

According to the Iranian Traffic Police chief, by the end of last night, about 550,000 pilgrims had been to Iraq by land though border crossings on the shared borders.

Brigadier General Teymur Hosseini told local Iranian media that Mehran border crossing in Ilam Province in the west recoded the highest number of the pilgrims travelling to Iraq. 

"279,000 pilgrims have been registered at Mehran border gate and this border gate has been the most crowded Arbaeen border terminal in the country," he said.

He asked the pilgrims to travel to Iraq through other land border crossings, such as Khosravi, Bashmaq and Tamarchin to reduce the traffic load at Mehran border gate.

MNA