The Deputy for International Pilgrims Affairs of the shrine has been formed in a bid to facilitate pilgrimage for non-Iranian pilgrims. The office has so far undertaken activities in international sphere accordingly.
Speaking about the international programs and services of the shrine, the deputy for International Pilgrims Affairs, Hoj Mostafa Faghih Esfandiari, highlighted the close-knit connections between Imam Reza shrine and other holy shrines in Islamic countries.
Cooperation in scientific, cultural and specialized fields such as transfer of experience for the provision of pilgrim services to servants of Imam Ali shrine in the Iraqi city of Najaf has long been on Imam Reza shrine’s agenda. Also, interaction with Imam Hussain shrine in the Iraqi city of Karbala regarding museums, museum administration and artifacts has been established.
“Exchange of experience among holy shrines can greatly enhance pilgrim services. Imam Reza shrine has always provided consultation to other holy shrines in this respect. The shrine has always had good relations with holy shrine of Hazrat Abbas, Imam Hussain, Imam Ali and those in Kadhimiya and Samarra in Iraq”, added Hoj Esfandiari.
He also expanded on major challenges the holy shrines have always dealt with. These include the common enemy who tries to prevent deepening of strategic relations among holy shrines; the potentials that have not been used yet and failure of the holy shrines in network building to use their capacities; lack of proper media and communications instruments in holy shrines, and elites inability to use such instruments effectively; last but not least, international obscurity of Muslim elites and scholars.
He stressed that had effectual synergy among Muslim elites been forged earlier based on Islamic capacities, communications networks would have been in place by now and enemy plots would been neutralized.  
He continued that the deputy office is seeking to cultivate closer networks via holding summits and presenting strategies so that elites’ scientific capacities can be put to practical use.
One of the measures taken by the Deputy for International Pilgrims Affairs is editing of a comprehensive document in the shrine that outlines its international strategies for cooperation with other holy shrines, enhancement of services for non-Iranian pilgrims, and activities in cultural, scientific, economic and international donations fields.
The document has the potential to implement international actions in short, medium, and long terms. It presents strategies regarding non-Iranian pilgrims, domestic and foreign opinion polls about Imam Reza shrine in line with betterment of service provision.
In the cultural-artistic sphere, quality of cultural production on Imam Reza’s life and conduct has been taken into account, and as far as education is concerned, interactions with other holy shrines in the exchange of professors and students, admission of outstanding elites and their international presentation have been put on agenda.
As for economic concerns, endowments and vows, international political economy and strategies thereof have been outlined in the document. With respect to international endowments and vows, attempts have been made to expand endowments. Promotion of resistance culture is another initiative taken by the deputy office.
The international comprehensive document of the shrine is a balanced one structured upon upstream documents, the “Second Phase of the Revolution” Statement and views of the Leader. What sets the document apart is the capability to implement its plans. It has been predicted that it can turn into a coherent document after passing through legal stages, research and revision. It has the potential to transform Imam Reza shrine on an international scale.
Being a super organization, Imam Reza shrine has the necessary potentials to efficiently play an international role with a synergy among its various sections and departments. The deputy office and other cultural and economic sections need to work in tandem as a whole and act collectively so to boost their efficiency.
Next comes external synergy. Therefore, economic, material and spiritual capacities of other Islamic holy shrines have been closely investigated to boost external synergy. Proper use of these capacities is, therefore, a prerequisite. If the capacities in Imam Reza shrine are put together, they will have a profound impact.
The deputy for International Pilgrims Affairs further praised the hard round-the-clock work by the personnel of the deputy office to create an accommodating environment in the shrine for the visiting foreign pilgrims.
However, there is still a shortcoming when it comes to Shia Muslims from other countries. The number of foreign Shia Muslims visiting Imam Reza shrine is not satisfactory. They are not sufficiently familiar with Imam Reza’s life and conduct. Therefore, the shrine has envisioned programs to enhance knowledge and information on Imam Reza. Meanwhile, closer proximity among Muslims from all over the world via constructive communications is positive move. Virtual space and social media can greatly improve the international efficiency of the shrine by attracting more audience to Imam Reza’s life and conduct. The international comprehensive system plays a fundamental role in this regard.
As the spearhead for international actions in the shrine, the deputy office has prioritized the quantitative development of pilgrimage. It is highly significant that more international pilgrims can make it to Imam Reza shrine. Therefore, the deputy office is taking necessary measures to enhance the quality of services to pilgrims from Pakistan and other countries to facilitate their pilgrimage.
Introduction of Imam Reza on an international scale and interaction with other service sections is another line of activities in the deputy office. It helps other sections to have a more active role internationally so as Imam Reza shrine can provide better and quality services with Imam Reza’s life and conduct as its centerpiece.