Pakistan, Iran and Iraq to establish a joint work group for pilgrim facilitation

Pakistan, Iran and Iraq agreed to establish a joint work group to rationalize travel agreements for pilgrims, after a trilateral conference of the interior ministers of the countries held in Tehran on Monday.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, speaking at the meeting, thanked his Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni for organizing the conference at the request of Pakistan, highlighting the growing need to address the problems faced by the pilgrims who visit Iran and Iraq.

“The pilgrims who travel to Iraq and Iran are of great importance to us,” he said. “This trilateral forum will pave the way for improved facilities and support.”

Naqvi declared that as of January 1, 2026, Pakistani pilgrims can only travel to Iraq under the organizers of officially registered groups.

He said that the registration process for “organizers of the Zaireen group” has begun, and only people granted special visas issued by the embassy can travel independently.

“The organizers will be responsible for guaranteeing the safe return of the pilgrims,” he said. “This system will help stop illegal trips and problems of overcoming.”

Naqvi also praised Iraqi and Iranian governments for their efforts in the management of large crowds of pilgrims. “Taking care of Zaireen is an important challenge, and both interior ministers are fulfilling this duty effectively,” he said.

He praised Iran’s leadership during recent hostilities, saying: “The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatolá Ali Khamenei, remained firm and led with courage. We congratulate him and the Iranian people for this victory.”

Naqvi reiterated Pakistan’s support for Iran during his recent conflict with Israel. “Pakistan unequivocally condemned the attack against Iran and supported his right to self -defense,” he said, added that both the Pakistani people and the government firmly remained next to Iran.

The conference also attended the Deputy Minister of Iran, Ali Akbar, Pour-Jamshidian, senior Iranian and Iraqi officials, Pakistani ambassador to Iran Mohammad Mudassar Tipu and Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha.