The Deputy Governor for Political and Security Affairs of Ilam Province and spokesperson for the province's Arbaeen Headquarters announced that nearly two million Arbaeen-related border crossings have been recorded at the Mehran International Border Crossing since the beginning of the month of Safar.

Speaking to IRNA on Saturday, Tajeddin Salehian said that from the start of Safar until this morning, nearly two million entries and exits have been registered at the Mehran border.

He added that during the past 24 hours, 103,514 Iranian pilgrims departed for Iraq, while 160,444 returned to Iran through the Mehran crossing.

Salehian also noted that more than 2,000 foreign pilgrims crossed the border during the same period.

According to the deputy governor and Arbaeen Headquarters spokesperson, the total number of border crossings over the past 24 hours (July 31) exceeded 266,000 pilgrims.

He further stated that from midnight until this morning, approximately 70,000 crossings were recorded at the Mehran border, including 20,000 departures and nearly 50,000 arrivals.

Ilam Province is the principal gateway for Arbaeen pilgrimages, with more than 60 percent of all pilgrims choosing this route each year to reach the holy shrines in Iraq.

In recent years, continuous efforts have been made to improve the province's infrastructure, including expanding road networks, widening mountain routes, upgrading tunnel lighting systems, and enhancing road safety to facilitate smoother travel for Arbaeen pilgrims.

On ordinary days, approximately 20,000 Iranian and Iraqi travelers pass through the Mehran border crossing daily. During the peak Arbaeen travel period, however, this figure rises to around 300,000 crossings per day.

High security, proximity to the holy cities, a relatively short distance to Baghdad, extensive welfare services, and the presence of numerous volunteer service camps (Mawkibs) along the routes to Karbala and Najaf are among the main reasons pilgrims prefer the Mehran border crossing.

Every year during Arbaeen, Mehran hosts millions of pilgrims. Last year alone, nearly eight million people crossed through this official international border crossing.

The Mehran International Border Crossing is located approximately 95 kilometers southwest of Ilam, the capital of Ilam Province.