Iran and Iraq Hajj Representations ready to improve cooperation
At the meeting of Hajj delegations of Iran and Iraq, two sides welcomed expanding the level of relations and announced that a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between them has been prepared and will be signed.
As reported by Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Information Base, head of the Iraqi High Council of Hajj and Umrah and the accompanied delegation met and talked in Mecca with the Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs and Head of the Iranian pilgrims Hojjat al-Islam Seyed Abdolfattah Navvab on Tuesday (Tir 21).
At the meeting two sides exchanged views on the process of dispatching and attending Iranian and Iraqi pilgrims in this year's Hajj and called for the formation of joint working groups to discuss future Hajj and Umrah trips.
Pointing to the holding of Hajj and gathering Muslims in this congress, head of the Iraqi Supreme Council of Hajj and Umrah said: after two-year break due to the corona disease, we see that Muslims have come to the Hajj with enthusiasm and are performing their rituals.
In this meeting, the two sides assessed useful the cooperation and exchange of opinions among officials and experts regarding the economic, administrative and cultural of Hajj issues and considered it effective in providing better services to pilgrims.
Referring to the cost of land and air travel for Iraqi pilgrims in this year's Hajj, head of the Iraqi High Council of Hajj and Umrah predicted that about one million Iraqi pilgrims will be dispatched with the start of Umrah. He also said: estimates show that this trip will be welcomed due to the lower costs of land travel.
In the continuation of this meeting, referring to the narratives, Hojjat al-Islam Navvab pointed out the value of serving to pilgrims and expressed hope that with more efforts of those involved, the ground for the presence of different level of people in Hajj and Umrah will be provided and they will benefit from this divine favor.
Head of the Iraqi High Council of Hajj and Umrah expressing satisfaction with the presence Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs alongside the Iranian pilgrims, said: exchange of views between both sides regarding Hajj and its practices and rituals and also religious and cultural cooperation will help the enrichment of this spiritual trip.
During the Hajj, one can gain many worldly and hereafter benefits at the personal and social level.
At this meeting which was attended by head of the seminaries all over the country and deputies of the Supreme Leader Delegation Office, Ayatollah Seyed hashim Hosseini Bushehri, referring to a narration by Imam Sadiq (a.s.) and raising the question why Muslims come to Hajj, stated: Man wants to reach perfection and such a person does not have a static state.
The deputy of Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs in “Medina After” added: every year there should be more communication and interaction between the missions of Iran and Iraq in all aspects than the previous year.
In the continuation of this meeting, with the explanations of Supreme Leader Delegation Office's deputy on international affairs Hojjat al-Islam Ali Khayyat, the contents of the memorandum of understanding about the cooperation between the missions of Iran and Iraq were mentioned and the Iraqi side announced: due to going through the steps and getting the necessary approvals, this memorandum of understanding will be signed after the Hajj season.
This memorandum of understanding provides a good basis for the cooperation of two countries Hajj Representations in different dimensions, and we are interested in signing this memorandum of understanding as soon as possible, he added.
Stating that Hajj is a good opportunity for consultation between Islamic countries’ Hajj Representation, Supreme Leader’s representative in Hajj and Pilgrimage Affairs stated: this opportunity provides a basis for more interaction and changes for greater benefit of pilgrims and improving the level of spirituality among pilgrims.
