Talking about the scope of activities, approach and services in the deputy office, Hoj Seyyed Mohammad Zolfaghari noted, “One of the approaches of the office is providing services for the pilgrims in line with the fulfillment of true pilgrimage”.

Zolfaghari stated that the pilgrims to Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad have a variety of needs accommodated by different sections.

He continued that most of these needs were concerned with the essence of pilgrimage itself, which were addressed by the Deputy Office for International Pilgrims Affairs, along with other sections.

Hoj Zolfaghari further pointed to the goals of the deputy office adding: “Our goal is paving the way for the pilgrims to have a memorable, exhilarating and spiritual experience. To this end, our mission is provision of cultural, promotional, enlightening, etc. services to the pilgrims”.

Stressing that some 25 different types of services are provided to the pilgrims, he said, “These services are provided to Arab, Urdu, and Azeri pilgrims, at Ghadir Courtyard, Ghadir Portico, and Dar al-Rahmah Portico respectively”.

Hoj Zolfaghari said that services were available for Arab pilgrims during the cold months of year at Dar al-Rahmah Portico, adding that non-Iranian pilgrim convoys were welcomed to the shrine throughout the year.

Further in his remarks, Zolfaghari talked about the servants of the shrine, saying: “Some 700 male and female servants are helping non-Iranian pilgrims round the clock, all of whom are highly educated, speak a foreign language, and often have an academic or diplomatic background”.

“Out of 5-7m non-Iranian pilgrims yearly, 65% are Arabs, 25% are from the Subcontinent, and 10% are from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Europe and the US”, concluded he.