ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - More than seven million tourists and pilgrims traveled between Iraq and Iran via the Mehran border crossing over a nine-month period, according to officials in Iran’s western Ilam province.
From March 21 to December 21, 2025, a total of 7,040,000 people traveled through the Mehran international border crossing - known as Zurbatiyah border crossing in Iraq, located in eastern Wasit province, Haidar Dashtipour, director general of roads and transportation for Ilam province, told the semi-official Mehr News Agency on Monday.
The Mehran border crossing is one of the busiest gateways between Iraq and Iran, serving as a key route for trade and millions of religious pilgrims traveling to Shiite holy cities in Iraq.
"Figures show that the majority of travelers during this period were Iranian citizens," said Dashtipour. “Nearly 5.74 million Iranians used the Mehran crossing over the past nine months."
He explained that movement was nearly balanced in both directions, noting that "3,011,771 Iranian citizens returned to Iran from Iraq, while 2,762,340 people entered Iraq from Iran through the Mehran border."
Dashtipour added that the crossing also saw significant traffic from foreign nationals. "During this period, 1,296,000 foreign tourists and pilgrims passed through Mehran," he said.
Provincial officials said that on normal days, around 10,000 travelers cross through the Mehran border, but traffic surges sharply during major religious occasions, particularly during pilgrimages to Shiite holy sites in Iraq.
The border crossing occupies a strategic location about 150 kilometers from Baghdad. It is also roughly 280 kilometers from Karbala and less than 320 kilometers from Najaf, making it a vital route for pilgrims traveling to the two holy cities.
Most travelers passing through Iraq’s border crossings are Arbaeen pilgrims, a major Shiite religious event that draws millions of visitors into the country each year.
Arbaeen marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, and is observed by pilgrims who travel-often on foot-between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.
According to Iraq’s border ports authority, nearly three million foreign pilgrims entered Iraq for Arbaeen in August, with the Mehran crossing recording the highest volume of arrivals and departures.