US Tourists Lead Foreign Visits to Fatemeh Masoumeh Shia Shrine

American tourists have reportedly constituted the largest group of foreign visitors to the Holy Shrine of Fatemeh Masoumeh in Qom, Iran, over the past three months. This significant Shia pilgrimage site and prominent center for religious studies welcomed a total of 6,100 foreign pilgrims and tourists from 30 distinct countries during this period.

Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Mohammad Javad Sajjadi, who heads the department for non-Iranian pilgrims, provided these details. He highlighted the extensive geographical diversity of the visitors, noting their origins included nations across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and East Asia, in addition to neighboring and other Muslim countries. Specifically, the list of countries from which visitors arrived included Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Germany, France, England, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Canada, Brazil, and the United States.

The Holy Shrine of Fatemeh Masoumeh, located in Qom—recognized as Iran’s second holiest city after Mashhad—is celebrated for its unique architecture and its profound role as a spiritual and intellectual hub for Shia Islam. Sajjadi further emphasized that the shrine attracts not only Shia pilgrims but also Sunni Muslims and individuals from other religious backgrounds who are keen to explore Islamic culture and history. The site, which is the resting place of Fatemeh Masoumeh, sister of Imam Reza (AS), is perceived as a symbol of peace, unity, and spiritual enlightenment, actively contributing to interfaith dialogue and cultural exchange.

### Key Points

* Total foreign pilgrims and tourists over the past three months: 6,100
* Number of countries represented by visitors: 30
* Reporting period: Past three months

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