Visit to Mashhad: Religious and Cultural Significance
Following his meetings in Tehran, Saddam Hussein traveled to the holy city of Mashhad on May 11. This visit held significant religious and cultural importance. Mashhad is home to the shrine of Imam Reza, the 8th Imam of Shiite Islam, a site of immense spiritual value to Shiites worldwide.
Hosted by Abdul Azim Valian
Abdul Azim Valian, the governor of Khorasan province and the custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, hosted Saddam and his delegation. The hospitality extended to Saddam was a gesture of goodwill, aiming to bridge the religious divide between the predominantly Shiite Iran and the Sunni-dominated Iraqi leadership.