TEHRAN - The number of Iranians departing the country for Iraq to attend the Arba’een ritual has grown by 27 percent compared to last year, Iran’s Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Hossein Zolfaqari said on Wednesday.

Zolfaqari, who is also chairman of a committee for overseeing the Arba’een pilgrimage, added that each day 120 thousand Iranians are entering Iraq from border checkpoints of Mehran, Shalamcheh, and Chazabeh, Mehr reported on Wednesday.

He said the number is expected to rise in the following days.

SP/P