Iran presses for visa waiver from Iraq
Iranian authorities continue to pressure the Iraqi government into waiving its travel visa between the two countries.
BAGHDAD — During a meeting between Iranian ambassador in Baghdad, Iraj Masjedi and acting minister of health, Hani Iqabi on Jul 12, the latter announced that Iraq is planning to resume the travel of Iranians to Iraq. The travel has been banned after the pandemic.
As the month of Muharram draws near and with thousands of Iranians expected to flock to the Iraqi city of Karbala to commemorate the killing of Imam Hussein bin Ali, the Iraqi government is facing Iranian pressure to waive the visa requirement between the two countries.
The Iranian Council of Ministers decided on June 9 to waive the visa for Iraqis provided Iraq also cancels the visa requirement for Iranians, but Iraq has yet to reciprocate.
Iran’s Ambassador to Baghdad Iraj Masjedi said the issue of entry visas between Iran and Iraq “is not limited to the occasion of visiting the holy shrines in the month of Muharram, and we are currently waiting for the approval of the Iraqi side to implement this decision.”
