Erbil Governor visits Iranian pilgrim accommodations, closely monitoring preparations and reception procedures

On Wednesday night, July 29, 2026, Omed Khoshnaw, the Governor of Erbil, accompanied by Musa Ahmed, President of the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF); Abbas Eskandari, Deputy Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Erbil; Shaker Hussein, Official for Relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iran; Masoud Bateli, Head of the High Committee for Pilgrim Reception; and several other government and civil officials, visited the Erbil International Fairground.

The fairground has been designated as a primary accommodation site for pilgrims. The visit aimed to closely monitor the conditions of the accommodation for Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq's holy sites, as well as the progress of preparations and the readiness of various teams, including service, health, civil defense, security and police, and traffic departments.
 

During the visit, after evaluating the accommodation status and the readiness of the teams to receive the visitors, the Governor spoke directly with the pilgrims. He expressed his hopes that Almighty God would accept their prayers and supplications and that they would return safely to their home cities and countries.
In a subsequent press conference, he stated: "This is the fifth consecutive year that Iranian pilgrims have traveled through the Kurdistan Region to visit religious shrines in Iraq.
From the outset, and at the request of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Honorable Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, instructed all relevant parties to provide the highest level of services and facilities to the pilgrims." He also noted that the KRG Minister of Interior has held several special meetings and formed a high-level committee specifically for this purpose.
 

The Governor added: "Barzani Charity Foundation teams are on the ground providing necessary services. Every facility has been arranged to ensure that pilgrims face no obstacles from the moment they arrive in Erbil until their departure toward other Iraqi cities." Regarding the number of pilgrims, the Governor revealed: "To date, 61,000 Iranian pilgrims have entered the Kurdistan Region. Some have stayed in accommodation centers in Erbil, while others have already departed for central and southern Iraq."
 

He further explained that the arrival process will continue until August 3, while the return process for pilgrims from Iraq back to Iran is scheduled to begin on August 7.
The Governor expressed his gratitude to the teams from the Barzani Charity Foundation, the Crisis Response units, Health, Police, Security, Traffic Police, Environment, the Department of Foreign Relations, and all relevant departments and the High Committee. He praised them for being the key to the success of the process and for performing their duties with great organization.
 

He reiterated that the Barzani Charity Foundation, as always, represents the humanitarian identity of the people and land of the Kurdistan Region.
He emphasized that they are playing a vital role in this process once again, and that the government supports and appreciates their partnership in ensuring these operations run smoothly. As part of the reception for pilgrims participating in the Arba'een ceremony of Imam Hussain in the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, a dinner was also organized.

It is worth noting that for several days, the official process for Iranian pilgrims entering through the Haji Omeran International Border Crossing for the Arba'een mourning of "Imam Hussain" and visiting Iraq's holy sites has been underway in several stages.
 

In the capital Erbil, full preparations have been made to serve the pilgrims, providing various services including food and drink, rest areas, medical treatment, emergency services, and the organization of travel logistics.
 

This initiative is part of a continuous policy of supporting religious pilgrims and guests, reflecting the deep belief of the people of Kurdistan in coexistence and respect for all religious faiths and sects.