The Iran war hangs over a major Shiite pilgrimage

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**Greg Dixon** (0:17)
Today on State of the World, the Iran War hangs over a major Shia pilgrimage.
You're listening to State of the World from NPR. We bring you the day's most vital international stories up close where they're happening. It's Thursday, August 6th. I'm Greg Dixon. It is one of the largest gatherings of people in the world. More than 20 million Shia Muslim pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala this week. It is the annual commemoration of the seventh century killing of a central figure of their faith. Iran is mostly Shia, and this year greater numbers of Iranians participated in the pilgrimage. Many say, because of the killing of their modern day religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by airstrikes in the early days of the US and Israel's war with Iran.
NPR's Jane Araf takes us to Karbala, where she talked with some Iranian pilgrims.

**Jane Araf** (1:21)
In 1400 years, mourning over the death of Imam Hussain has not diminished. It wasn't an ordinary death. Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was surrounded by a powerful army, deprived of water, and then beheaded after opposing a leader he believed was unfit to succeed the Prophet. It was the defining event of the split between Shia and Sumi Islam.
Inside the shrine, pilgrims press against the gold and silver encrusted latticework around the spot where he died. Many hitting themselves in grief.
The voices rise and fall, different accents, different languages, the same lament. Outside, there are young men holding an Iranian and Iraqi flag linked together. Some carry photos of Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed on the first day of US and Israeli airstrikes, along with his family, in February.

**Jane Araf** (2:41)
116 degrees on the thermometer.
But the heat hits you in waves. There's a burning wind coming in, and it just feels even hotter. In between the shrines, there's a covered walkway, and every so often, fans are spraying cooling mists of water. But this is still grueling. And imagine, after walking here for days, like many of these pilgrims have.

**Jane Araf** (3:16)
Maryam Ghambari, a municipal worker, walked from the Iranian border about 200 miles away. She tells us many pilgrims have come this year because people are praying for vengeance for the killing of Khamenei. Most Iranians on pilgrimage here are fervent supporters of the country's Islamic regime. Those who are anti-regime are not talking.
Nasser Zadi, a teacher from Tabriz, says Khamenei's killing has only increased support for resistance against the US and Israel.

**SPEAKER_5** (3:55)
In my opinion, it has helped this movement become deeper and more targeted. It's helped us flaunt the power of the Shia more to the face of the world to show that the Shia are building their own civilization.

**Jane Araf** (4:11)
He says Iranians have learned to deal with the economic hardship of the war. This is the culture of resistance, he says.
Mohammed Yasmeen Ahmadi is 15 and from the Iranian holy city of Qom.
He says most Iranians are here this year because of Khamenei. Before he was buried in July, the Supreme Leader's body was first taken to Karbala in Najaf. This Arabain has the scent and the feeling of the Ayatollah, the teenager says. The Iranians we talk to stress they have nothing against the American people, that they believe that Americans too are suffering from US policy. They say this time it is the US government and not an army 1,400 years ago waging war on the Shia. Jane Araf, NPR News, Karbala, Iraq.

**Greg Dixon** (5:12)
That's the State of the World from NPR. Thanks for listening.

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