Is Arabeen Walk, The Annual Shia Pilgrimage, Causing Delay In Iran's Anticipated Attack On Israel? (X image @ZeeHaider51214)

Iranians started the Shia religious festival of ‘Arbaeen Walk’ in Tehran. Arbaeen is considered as the largest annual public gathering, when thousands flock to Iraq’s Karbala, where Islamic leader Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of Prophet Muhammed, was killed.

Iran also celebrates the festival. This year, over a million Iranians touched down in Iraq, to take part in the Walk, said media report. Arbaeen marks the end of a 40-day mourning period following Ashura (10th of Muharram), the religious observance that commemorates the killing of Imam Husayn.

This year’s celebration is also considered as one of the reasons why Iran is delaying its attack on Israel. Air traffic between Iran and Iraq will be buzzing with millions travel to and forth for the celebration. To launch aerial strike at such a time is not possible for Iran without jeopardizing its own population.

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Iran and Hezbollah – Iran aligned militant group in Lebanon – pledged to attack Israel. Israel killed Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukur in Beirut. Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was also assassinated hours later, while he was in Tehran. Though Israel did not comment on the attack, the assassination is widely attributed to Tel Aviv, and Tehran pledged to set record straight for the humiliation caused.

While Iran said that it is Tehran’s duty to avenge Haniyeh, the country does not look for an all out war in the region at the moment, said media reports. The crippling economic landscape due to the decade long sanctions, and internal conflict within country resulting from disagreement from different political factions, makes Iran rethink its next steps.

Reports suggest that Iran is holding up a psychological war tactics by delaying the heavily anticipated attack. Iran also said that even the Gaza ceasefire talk is ‘unrelated’ to its retaliation plans, despite previously stating that a ceasefire would halt their attack.

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There is an “uproar” in Israel amid fears of an imminent Iranian attack. They are “waiting day and night for Iran’s response”, and that is “harder than waiting for one’s death”, said Ali Fadavi, the Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as quoted by Iran International.

According to Iranian state media, there could be a long wait for retaliation against Israel, as said by Ali-Mohammad Naini, the spokesperson for the IRGC. Naini is known for his psychological warfare and soft war tactics. He also said that delaying the attack is part of stoking psychological terror among the Israelis.