Iran spent millions to restore Iraqi Shia sites

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http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2007/May/middleeast_May314.xml§ion=middleeast

TEHERAN - Iran has spent more than 64 million dollars to restore Shia holy sites in neighbouring Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the ISNA news agency reported on Saturday.

Mansour Haqiqatpour, who heads Iran’s organization for preserving religious sites, told ISNA that 600 billion rials (64.5 million USD) had been spent to restore sacred sites in Iraq over the past four years.

Iraq is home to Shia Islam’s holiest sites, including the tombs of Imam Ali in Najaf and Imam Hussein in Karbala -- both scenes of suicide attacks and sectarian violence since the US-led invasion of Iraq.

“One of our plans is to expand the area of the Imam Ali Shrine, building a 70,000 square-meter hall and restoring the interior and the dome,” Haqiqatpour said.