Iraq and Iran Launch First Maritime Route for Arbaeen Pilgrims Amid Regional Tensions

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — Iraq and Iran have reached a milestone agreement to transport Arbaeen pilgrims by sea for the first time, marking a significant development in bilateral ties that remain strong despite mounting U.S. pressure on Baghdad to limit its engagement with Tehran.

According to a report by Iraqi state media, the Iraqi Maritime Transport and Shipping Company has signed a cooperation agreement with Iran's Khorramshahr Port Authority to establish a maritime route for Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq for this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage. The agreement will enable the use of yachts to ferry pilgrims between Iran’s Khorramshahr Port and Iraq’s Basra Port, covering the 37-kilometer distance in approximately one hour.

Each vessel will carry up to 320 passengers, making it a logistically significant operation. The move introduces a new transportation corridor as both countries adapt to regional instability, including the recent 12-day war between Iran and Israel and growing concerns over the continuity of air travel amid escalating tensions.

This year’s maritime initiative is particularly noteworthy given the frequent suspensions of air routes between Iran and Iraq during periods of military escalation. The launch of a sea-based transport method provides an alternative that may mitigate future disruptions and maintain the religious flow between the two nations.

The Arbaeen pilgrimage, which occurs in the month of Muharram, draws millions of Shiite pilgrims—predominantly from Iran but also from other regional countries—to Iraq’s southern cities of Najaf and Karbala. Some pilgrims traditionally enter through the Haji Omeran border crossing in the Kurdistan Region before traveling southward to the holy sites.

Despite ongoing diplomatic challenges, Iraq and Iran continue to maintain robust relations. This development comes amid significant pressure from Washington, which has recently taken a series of steps aimed at curbing Tehran’s influence in Iraq. These include the removal of a key U.S. waiver that had allowed Iraq to import Iranian natural gas to meet electricity demands, as well as sustained diplomatic efforts to limit the operations of Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and ensure that all weapons in the country fall under central state control.

U.S. officials have encouraged Iraq to become more self-reliant in its energy sector.

The new maritime agreement highlights the enduring depth of cooperation between Iraq and Iran, which remains resilient despite competing geopolitical pressures.

That Iraq-Iran ties were further emphasized in a recent joint meeting in Tehran, where Iraqi Ambassador Nasir Abdul-Muhsin Abdullah publicly invited Iranian companies to expand their investment footprint in Iraq’s economic landscape. Speaking alongside Iran Chamber of Commerce President Samad Hassan-Zadeh, Ambassador Abdullah outlined a broad portfolio of opportunities in renewable energy, oil and gas, heavy and medium industries, agriculture, healthcare, and residential housing.

“There are 27 renewable energy opportunities across 14 provinces, two major oil and gas projects, 22 investment slots in heavy and medium industries, nine in industrial zones and free trade areas, 10 in agriculture—mostly in provinces bordering Iran—10 in healthcare, and 25 in residential housing,” Abdullah stated.

He also stressed that projects within Iraq’s free zones alone could surpass $70 billion, underscoring Baghdad’s determination to attract Iranian investment even as U.S. policy seeks to dissuade such engagements. According to the Iran Chamber of Commerce’s news outlet, Abdullah confirmed Baghdad’s commitment to deepening trade with Tehran.

For his part, Hassan-Zadeh welcomed the call for increased cooperation but emphasized the need for legal and banking reforms to ensure investor security. He added that Iran is preparing to present major initiatives at an upcoming investment forum in Iraq, where 140 strategic projects will be showcased.

Hossein Pirmoazzen, Deputy Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, noted that Iran remains one of Iraq’s top trading partners, with bilateral trade reaching $12.7 billion. He expressed a desire to make Iran the second-largest exporter to Iraq and proposed logistical reforms to overcome trade bottlenecks, particularly at border checkpoints.

Yahya Al-e Es’haq, head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce, stressed that improving financial transaction systems is vital for sustaining and expanding long-term investments. He also suggested that Iraq could help offset trade imbalances by facilitating the transit of goods aligned with Iranian market demands.

Ultimately, Iraq’s active promotion of Iranian investment—even amid mounting U.S. sanctions pressure—reinforces the strategic trajectory of Iraq-Iran ties. The Arbaeen maritime initiative, now a symbol of that cooperation, not only enhances religious connectivity but also represents a broader assertion of Iraq’s foreign policy autonomy. As both nations pursue shared interests across transport, trade, and energy sectors, their alignment signals a continued defiance of external pressures and a commitment to long-term regional collaboration.

With the Arbaeen pilgrimage fast approaching, the success of this maritime initiative will be closely watched as a litmus test of Iraq-Iran logistical cooperation under new regional constraints. Whether this development will remain a contingency plan or evolve into a long-term component of pilgrim transport infrastructure remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly signals a shift in strategy amid rising uncertainty across the Middle East.