MP: Arbaeen march paves way for liberation of Al-Quds
Iran’s response to Israel ’certain’
By Sadeq
Dehqan
Staff writer
A top Iranian lawmaker says the Arbaeen march is a global movement that unites not only Shia Muslims but also advocates for freedom and justice worldwide in their opposition to Israeli control.
Javad Nikbin, secretary of the Iranian Parliament’s Majority Faction and a member of its Cultural Commission, made the comments in an interview with Iran Daily.
Nikbin described the Arbaeen march as a “massive, popular movement” that brings together devotees of the Ahl al-Bayt, a term referring to the family of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as well as others seeking freedom and justice. He said the march aims to “liberate occupied territories from Zionist control globally.”
The Arbaeen march is a religious ritual and gathering that takes place every year, where Shia Muslims walk to Karbala to pay their respects and commemorate the 40th day of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (PBUH), the third Shia Imam, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala.
Nikbin emphasized that the Arbaeen ceremony is a unifying event for Muslims and freedom-lovers worldwide, echoing the “Hayhat Minna al-Dhilla” (We reject all forms of humiliation) slogan chanted by Imam Hussein (PBUH) on Ashura Day. This march, he added, will pave the way for the reappearance of the Imam Mahdi and the establishment of justice worldwide.
This ceremony has been dubbed one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world and has become the biggest annual march and gathering globally since 2014. The Arbaeen march takes place not only in cities and towns in Iraq but also in several countries, including Iran and Pakistan, where pilgrims set off towards Karbala.
As for the number of participants in this march, estimates range from 12 million to over 20 million people. The number of pilgrims in 2023 was reported to be over 22 million.
Regarding the upcoming Arbaeen march and ceremony, Nikbin noted that the Iranian government has postponed its response to the Zionist regime’s terrorist attack, which martyred Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, until after the Arbaeen events.
He stressed that Iran’s response to the Zionist regime’s crime is certain and will be carried out at the right time, taking into account the country’s security and defense considerations.
Nikbin dismissed the impact of the so-called Gaza peace talks on Iran’s response to the Zionist regime’s crimes, saying, “The Zionist regime’s terrorist attack in Tehran, which killed our guest, Ismail Haniyeh, is an unforgivable affront that will not go unpunished.”
He added, “In Islam, the punishment for such crimes, the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh and General Qassem Soleimani, is clear: Retribution. We will not engage in any negotiations to execute this punishment, and the perpetrator will face justice.”
Nikbin concluded that Iran’s response to the Zionist regime’s crimes will be more severe than the previous Operation True Promise and will inflict greater damage on the Zionist regime, but the nature of the response will not be disclosed.
Regarding the Zionist regime’s atrocities in Gaza, Nikbin said, “The occupying regime has reached new heights of brutality in the occupied territories, committing crimes that will never be forgotten. However, with God’s will, these crimes will not last, and the end of this child-killing regime is near.”