After Masoud Pezeshkian’s election as president of Iran, his consistent attendance at Muharram mourning ceremonies - while avoiding press conferences - drew media attention. On his first provincial trip on September 3, Pezeshkian further affirmed his commitment to Shia Islam by participating in a pilgrimage walk in northeastern Mashhad.
Later that day, Pezeshkian delivered a speech in Mashhad, where he highlighted the importance of public satisfaction in governance. He stressed the need to establish an "Islamic government" modelled after the principles of the First Imam of Shia Islam.
"If you are truthful, place Imam Ali's letter to Malek Ashtar before you and follow its guidance. The governor appointed by the Imam has authority. We must distance ourselves from centralism," he said, referring to a letter Shia Islam’s Imam sent to one of his governors.
His statements came as Mashhad, Iran's "religious capital," welcomed thousands of pilgrims from across the country. Among the attendees was Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, who was seen distributing offerings to pilgrims.
In the Islamic Republic, during Safar, Shia Muslims participate in government-backed pilgrimages, seen as promoting religious and political ideals. Key pilgrimages include walking to Karbala for Arbaeen in the middle of Safar, while another, at the end of the month, sees devotees walking to Mashhad. Some participants refer to these two journeys collectively as the "walk from Mashayeh (a region near Najaf in Iraq) to Mashhad."
Both government officials and researchers aligned with the Islamic Republic indicate that these pilgrimages serve to strengthen the Shia political and religious agenda. The Arbaeen pilgrimage boosts Iran's international image as a center of Shia Islam, while the Mashhad walk aims to solidify national unity among Iranian Shias. The Islamic Republic spends a substantial amount of money on these walks each year.
Government officials and researchers suggest these pilgrimages strengthen Iran’s Shia political and religious agenda. The Arbaeen pilgrimage boosts Iran's international image as a center of Shia Islam, while the Mashhad walk aims to solidify national unity among Iranian Shias. The Islamic Republic spends a substantial amount of money on these walks each year.
A Ceremony to Renew Allegiance
September 4, marking the death anniversary of the 8th Imam, holds great significance in Shia culture. The Islamic Republic has organized commemorative programs for years, though the pilgrimage walk to Mashhad, despite claims of ancient origins, has gained prominence mainly in the past nine years through promotional efforts.
Despite these efforts, the walk has not fully entered the public consciousness, according to some officials. Mehdi Nasehi, a member of Mashhad's city council, said, "One of the shortcomings is that the ceremony of the last ten days of Safar, and the associated pilgrimage walk, has not yet become ingrained as a comprehensive cultural tradition. More needs to be done to raise public awareness of its importance."
Other officials attribute the lack of widespread adoption to insufficient resources and the absence of necessary infrastructure, which has hindered the event’s growth. Ali Asghar Shalbafian, the Deputy of Tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, emphasized this challenge, saying, "National focus should be directed toward supporting the pilgrimage walk during the last ten days of Safar."
However, all officials agree that the pilgrimage walk symbolizes a renewal of allegiance to the rule of the 8th Imam and the Islamic Republic.
How Many People Attended?
Many details regarding the pilgrimage ceremony remain unclear, including the exact number of participants. Hossein Rezaei, spokesperson for the Imam Reza Walking Pilgrims Association, said, "By the morning of Wednesday, September 4, coinciding with the anniversary of Imam Reza's martyrdom, over 375,000 pilgrims entered Mashhad as part of 9,352 caravans from 9 routes." However, the overall statistics for Mashhad visitors vary, as those who arrived by private car or plane are counted separately.
Farzaneh Sadegh, the new Minister of Roads and Urban Development visited Mashhad on September 4 to inspect the traffic situation and said, "In recent days, five million pilgrims have come to Mashhad. Of these, 80 per cent traveled by private car, 10 per cent by public road transport, 3 per cent by air, and 7 per cent by rail."
Contradicting these figures, Mashhad’s mayor, Mohammadreza Qalandar Sharif, reported, "The city successfully managed seven million pilgrims."
Religious Show with Huge Budgets
It is estimated that the budget for the recent Arbaeen pilgrimage was around 2,000 billion tomans ($33.3 million). Of this amount, 250 billion tomans ($4.1 million) was deducted from pension funds to cover part of the event's expenses.
The allocated budget for the Mashhad pilgrimage remains unclear. Various institutions, such as Astan Quds Razavi, participate in organizing the ceremony, but their budgets are not fully transparent. Although Astan Quds Razavi’s management claims, "Astan Quds does not receive a single rial from the government; all its income comes from properties and lands donated by the public," investigations reveal that the institution receives 1,000 billion tomans ($16.6 million) from the government for the construction of a pilgrimage center and related programs.
Mashhad Municipality, another key player in the event, also lacks transparency regarding its budget. The municipality reported that only 63 per cent of its 2023 budget was spent, yet the budget for 2024 has increased. However, it is still unclear how much the municipality and its subsidiaries have spent on the pilgrimage ceremonies.
The National Pilgrimage Working Group also contributed to funding the event. In the 2023/2024 budget, a line item of 350 billion tomans ($5.8 million) was allocated for the development of pilgrimage culture and services, centered in cities like Mashhad, Qom, Shiraz, and Shahrari. Still, it remains unknown how much of this allocation was used for the Mashhad pilgrimage.
Beyond these institutions, including the Islamic Advertisement Organization, various caravans registered pilgrims for the event, each charging its own fees. Pilgrims were also required to pay insurance premiums.
Extensive Preparations for the Pilgrimage
Various institutions have rolled out numerous plans for this year's pilgrimage. These include the National Plan of Companions of the Sun 9, involving at least 3,000 participants, and the Salaam Bar Imam Raouf campaign aimed at children across the country. Additionally, over 800 prisoners, accompanied by prison staff, have walked to Mashhad from nearby cities.
According to the Deputy of Culture, Social, and Pilgrimage Affairs of Khorasan Razavi Governorate, 985 accommodation centers have been arranged for pilgrims in the province, with 850 located in Mashhad. These accommodations include schools, hosseiniyehs, sports centers, and other venues. Medical services have also been planned for the pilgrims.
Organizers have also focused on ensuring a water supply for the pilgrims, deploying more than 65 water tankers across Mashhad. Hossein Esmailian, CEO of Mashhad Water and Sewerage Company, said that water was provided without any issues, supplying "more than 10 million litres" during the event.
Over 1.1 million people utilized buses in Mashhad and its surrounding areas during the pilgrimage, with the city's metro lines made free for the event. Supporters of the Islamic Republic set up booths offering 23 essential goods at approved prices. Additionally, more than 1,500 special flights were arranged from across the country for pilgrims traveling to Mashhad.
While the political system views this event as a demonstration of religious unity, critics argue that it diverts public resources toward religious propaganda rather than addressing the country's fundamental issues. Despite the large budgets allocated to the ceremony, critical sectors like health and education continue to face resource shortages, and efforts to turn these religious events into widespread cultural practices have not met with much success.
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