Millions gather in Karbala for Arbaeen pilgrimage amid US-Iran tensions

Millions of Shiite Muslims gathered in Iraq's holy city of Karbala on Tuesday for the annual Arbaeen pilgrimage, amid heightened regional tensions and fears of another escalation between the United States and Iran.

Arbaeen, observed 40 days after Ashoura, commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and members of his family at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.

The operations command overseeing the pilgrimage said more than 4.88 million foreign pilgrims had entered Iraq since the beginning of the Islamic month of Muharram, with arrivals continuing from several countries. Millions more Iraqis were also expected to travel to Karbala, making Arbaeen one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings.

Among the highest-profile visitors was Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who arrived in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Monday before travelling to Karbala to join the pilgrimage.

His visit underscored Iraq's delicate balancing act between Washington and Tehran as the country seeks to avoid being drawn deeper into regional conflict despite maintaining close ties with both sides.

Iranian pilgrims arrived in large numbers, although some participants said the presence of visitors from other countries appeared lower than in previous years.

Aqeel al-Rubaie, a pilgrim from Baghdad, said Iranian flags were particularly prominent along the Najaf-Karbala route, while flags from European, Arab and other Muslim countries were noticeably fewer.

He attributed the decline to "the war and the events unfolding across the region, which have affected the number of Arab and foreign pilgrims."

Another pilgrim, Hassan al-Sarai, also from Baghdad, said Iranian flags dominated the route and the city of Karbala.

As in previous years, thousands of volunteer groups lined the roads leading to Karbala, providing pilgrims with food, drinking water, medical care and other services.

This year's pilgrimage comes as Iraq grapples with economic challenges following the recent conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which disrupted oil exports. Since more than 90% of Iraq's state revenue comes from oil, the country's economy remains highly vulnerable to any interruption in crude shipments.

Baghdad is also facing the challenge of disarming the country's network of armed groups, many of them backed by Iran.

Kataib Hezbollah, one of the most powerful Iran-backed militias, used an Arbaeen statement to reject calls for disarmament, saying it remained committed to retaining what it described as the "weapons of the resistance."

Meanwhile, in Iran, many Shiite Muslims unable to travel to Iraq held Arbaeen observances at home, some of which took on a political tone.

In Tehran, black-clad mourners marched along a nearly 20-kilometre route to a Shiite shrine, chanting slogans calling for retaliation following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in strikes by the United States and Israel. Some demonstrators also trampled on US and Israeli flags.

Iranian state media reported that similar rallies were held in cities and towns across the country.