Pakistan and Iran have agreed to keep the Pak-Iran border open 24 hours a day during Muharram and Arbaeen, federal authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The development came during a meeting between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni, where a wide range of bilateral and regional issues were discussed — with a particular focus on the movement and welfare of pilgrims.
According to an official statement, both sides agreed to maintain round-the-clock border operations to ensure smooth passage for pilgrims travelling to Iran and onwards to Iraq during the religious occasions.
The two countries also explored the possibility of sending pilgrims via sea routes to Iran and Iraq in the near future.
Iranian Interior Minister Momeni assured his Pakistani counterpart that Tehran would provide food and accommodation facilities for 5,000 Pakistani pilgrims in Mashhad. He further said that special arrangements would be made for their onward journey from the Iran-Iraq border.
The meeting also decided on the establishment of a dedicated hotline aimed at resolving the pilgrims' issues promptly. Additionally, a trilateral conference involving Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq will be convened in Mashhad ahead of Arbaeen to further streamline arrangements for the Pakistani pilgrims.
“Serving pilgrims is our religious duty,” Momeni was quoted as saying, adding that Iran places high importance on Pakistan’s security and regional cooperation.
Discussions were also held on enhancing the number of flights to facilitate pilgrims, with both sides agreeing to prepare a swift and actionable implementation plan. The ministers reviewed progress on proposals to enable sea travel for pilgrims, a move that may alleviate pressure on land and air routes during peak religious seasons.
Beyond pilgrimage facilitation, the two ministers discussed broader cooperation in border security, countering illegal immigration, human trafficking, and narcotics smuggling. Both countries expressed intent to improve coordination on border management systems.
The Iranian interior minister also raised the issue of Iranian fishermen who had inadvertently crossed into Pakistani waters and were detained. Responding to the request, Mr Naqvi assured full cooperation for their early release.
Mr Naqvi thanked the Iranian government for their consistent support and hospitality towards Pakistani pilgrims, saying the establishment of the hotline would greatly enhance coordination and timely response to emerging issues.
