Iran Press/Iran News: Speaking at Tehran Friday Prayer sermons on October 4, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani urged people to attend the Arbaeen march and mourning processions saying: "The enemies are targeting Arbaeen and Iraq because they are angered by the presence of millions of pilgrims in Karbala. The enemies do not want the flag of Imam Hussein (PBUH) to be raised as it is the flag of the fight against injustice."
Tehran's Friday prayer leader added: "I hope that the Muslim people will take part in the Arbaeen March more energetic than ever."
Today, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the top Shia cleric of Iraq, has urged security forces and protesters to avoid violence, expressing sorrow over some sporadic unrest that has led to several casualties.
In the letter read out by his representative Ahmed al-Safi during a sermon in the holy city of Karbala, the top cleric urged all parties to avoid violence.
He also criticised officials and political sides for failing to answer the demands of the people to fight corruption, urging them to heed the demands of the protesters “before it's too late”.
The unrest comes as millions of pilgrims are preparing to converge on the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala to attend Arbaeen mourning processions marking the fortieth day after the martyrdom of their third Imam, Hussein ibn Ali (PBUH).
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday urged all Iranian pilgrims to postpone their visit to Iraq until calm is restored in the country.
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