Mehran border crossing, at the joint border between Iran and Iraq, has resumed its commercial activities after 2 weeks, according to a local official.
Sohrab Kamari, the director general of the customs of Iran’s western Province of Ilam, said that the border terminal is open to trucks after a short break for Arbaeen rituals.
Arbaeen is a ceremony marking the end of a 40-day mourning period following the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam. Shia Muslims from all across the world go a long walk to the holy shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq, to commemorate the ceremony.
More than 3.6 million Shia pilgrims visited Iraq for this year’s Arbaeen rituals.
The commercial activities of Mehran border crossing were stopped to facilitate the march of the pilgrims, Kamari said.
On average, 700 trucks and trailers carrying export goods pass through the Mehran border crossing every day.
The Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPO) issued a report in October 2023 which disclosed that as much as 30% of Iran’s agricultural products and 44% of the country’s industrial products were bound for Iraq.