Iran's Interior Ministry Denies Reports of 'Exploitation of Iranian Women by Iraqi Pilgrims'

Iran's Interior Ministry has denied reports regarding a group of Iraqi pilgrims traveling to Mashhad and Khuzestan for sexual services and 'exploitation of Iranian women,' calling for 'decisive judicial action' against those spreading these reports. According to the Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, Rouhollah Jom'eie, advisor to the Interior Minister, stated that Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Interior Minister, has 'denied the rumor of exploitation of Iranian women by Iraqi pilgrims.' Jom'eie added that the minister has also demanded 'decisive judicial action' against the disseminators of these claims, which he described as 'controversial and untrue.' In recent years, reports have emerged about some Iraqi pilgrims or citizens of Gulf Arab countries traveling to Mashhad for sexual services. Similar reports have surfaced in recent weeks regarding occurrences in the Arvand Free Zone in Khuzestan province. Reports indicate that since last year, following the visa cancellation for Iraqi citizens entering the Arvand Free Zone, the number of Iraqi travelers to this area and neighboring cities has increased. Two days before the Interior Ministry's denial, the Shahrvand newspaper reported on Sunday, August 25, citing Mashhad tourism activists, that 'some Iraqi pilgrims choose their accommodation on the condition of having a woman for temporary marriage, and despite the large number of guesthouses in the city, they easily head to these illegal lodging places.' The newspaper noted that 'although this issue involves a small percentage of tourists, it has also made headlines in Abadan and Khorramshahr. The Arvand Free Zone, which has been hosting Iraqi travelers since the visa cancellation last December, has not been free from these controversies in recent months, and whispers can trace the paths to temporary illegal houses that occasionally open for the sexual exploitation of women.' In this context, Mohammad Qan'ei, head of the Khorasan Razavi Hotel Association, stated, 'In cities like Mashhad and Qom, which are pilgrimage destinations, the interaction and visits of non-Iranian individuals, particularly Iraqi Arabs, are much more evident, and now with the issue of temporary marriage being raised, we need to be more vigilant.' This report and similar previous reports have received widespread attention on social media. Some users have pointed out that due to restrictions such as hijab in Iran, cities like Mashhad have turned into centers of 'sex tourism' and 'Islamic Pattaya.' Conversely, some social media users have deemed these reports as instances of 'racism,' arguing that the reactions would have been different if the issue had been raised concerning Western men. One reason cited for the increase in Iraqi citizens traveling to Iran is the rising dollar price and the depreciation of the Iranian currency. Meanwhile, Mohammad Mohab Khodaei, the deputy for tourism, stated that the number of tourists from Iraq has increased by 90%, and the travel of citizens from Azerbaijan to Iran has also risen by 70%.