Iran's Hajj and Pilgrimage Claims Victims Again

Sara.Kh.FCNN News Agency: The buses stopped in the parking lot. The passengers finally arrived in Samarra after a long journey.

But before everyone had gotten off, there was a terrifying explosion.

The killing and injury of Iranians occurred at the bus parking lot and where they were traveling to the shrine of the Shiite Imams. However, the statistics are still not accurate as of Monday morning, and it has been said that more than 97 Iranians have been injured in these explosions. Meanwhile, according to the announced names of the injured who were transferred to Tehran, 77 people are hospitalized in hospitals in the capital.

The number of deaths since yesterday evening has been reported to be between 6 and 10, although this is not an exact figure.

It was expected that more than two million Iranians would travel to Iraq to participate in the Arbaeen procession this year.

The explosions were predictable.

According to a number of Iranians speaking to FCNN, this event was predictable.

Maryam is one of those who, despite opposing her family's trip to Iraq, was unable to prevent this plan. While she was certain that the Arbaeen ceremony would be attended by a sacrifice this year, her family was in the area of ​​the tomb at the time of the explosions and were not harmed, but they are witnessing the fear and shock caused by these killings.

In an interview with FCNN, he spoke about the concerns of the passengers' families and continued: "My parents have gone to Iraq. We were worried about them, but they kept saying that the authorities were watching over us and that there was security in Iraq. That's why they didn't take the news of the war seriously and didn't believe that ISIS would show mercy to Iranian passengers either."

This compatriot wants his family to return before the Arbaeen ceremony, but according to him, the managers of the expeditionary caravans do not take any responsibility for returning the passengers before the ceremony.

The cleric's untrue claim about Qom

The news of the past week or two was indicative of the same trust and confidence that Iranian Hajj and pilgrimage authorities were giving to travelers traveling to Iraq.

Mohammad Saeedi, the custodian of the shrine of Fatima Masoumeh in Qom, was among these officials. Before sending Iranians to Iraq, he emphasized, "The existence of complete security for Hussain pilgrims during Arbaeen shows that the hand of God and the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) is our support and guide in this area."

Referring to the incidents that occurred during the Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and the deaths of a number of Iranians in Mina, he stated that Saudi Arabia cannot ensure the security of the pilgrims due to its dependence on arrogance.

But these same officials have remained silent in the last two days, when their trip to Iraq and their promises sacrificed Arbaeen travelers.

Now, Saeed Ohadi, head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, is announcing the news of the killing and wounding of Iranians in Samarra. He emphasizes that ISIS elements have carried out this act due to heavy defeats in Mosul.

Meanwhile, it is unclear how these officials were unable to predict this ISIS reaction before.

Our children are victims of emotions.

Mohammad, another compatriot who is worried about his children, told FCNN: "We, the middle-aged and elderly Iranians, have memories of the sacrifice of teenagers in the war with Iraq, how they went to war with their emotions aroused and mourned their families, without having any military or even intellectual preparation. Now, the authorities are planning to sacrifice the emotions of the youth with the same tool."

The slogan chosen by the officials mentioned by Mohammad for this year's Iranian march and journey during the Arbaeen ceremony was chosen from a quote from Qamar Bani Hashim on the day of Ashura, which is "I will never abandon my religion" (I will never abandon my religion).

Mohammad is now looking forward to his student sons and continues to criticize those involved: "If the authorities valued people's lives, after the Samarra explosions, they should have flown all the Iranians back, not sacrificed the pilgrims by calling the dead martyrs."

Visiting the shrine of Shiite Imams, in Samarra, which belongs to both extremist and non-Shiite Muslims, has its own atmosphere even under normal circumstances. However, in the current situation in Iraq, where war and bloodshed are raging, it is mixed with fear and anxiety. But few believed that this journey would be one of no return.

In any case, our country's officials, especially those at the top of decision-making, are expected not to sacrifice people for the sake of profiteering by stakeholders such as the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization or politicians. There is no doubt that the only way these people can achieve their sinister goals is to abuse people's religious beliefs. Inciting extremist and sometimes superstitious views only strengthens the ground for abuse.

Now, to free our fellow citizens from these extremisms that replace life with death, we pray that God, who is witness to all unkindness, may bless them with ever-increasing inner awareness. Amen.