28 Shiite Pilgrims Killed in Bus Crash in Iran En Route to Iraq
A tragic bus accident in central Iran has claimed the lives of 28 Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan, as they were traveling to Iraq for religious observances. The crash occurred on Tuesday night in the province of Yazd, according to Mohammad Ali Malekzadeh, a local emergency official, who spoke to state-run IRNA news agency.
The bus, carrying 51 passengers, crashed outside the city of Taft, approximately 500 kilometers southeast of Tehran. Another 23 passengers sustained injuries, with 14 in serious condition. All those aboard were Pakistani nationals, according to officials.
Preliminary reports suggest that the accident was caused by brake failure and driver inattention. In Pakistan, a local Shiite leader, Qamar Abbas, reported that as many as 35 people may have died in the crash. The Pakistani government has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The pilgrims were on their way to Iraq to participate in the Arbaeen commemoration, a major Shiite religious event that marks the 40th day after the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala. Arbaeen draws millions of pilgrims to Karbala each year, making it one of the largest annual gatherings in the world.
In a separate incident on Wednesday morning, a bus crash in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province killed six people and injured 18 others, further highlighting the country’s ongoing road safety challenges. Iran has one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities globally, with over 17,000 deaths annually attributed to unsafe vehicles, inadequate rural emergency services, and widespread disregard for traffic laws.
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