The Role and Influence of the Razavi Shrine and Pilgrimages to the Shiite Geopolitics

World's Muslim population is now over one billion, and Shiites consist of nearly 20 percent of this, amounting to over two hundred million people. The "togetherness" of the Shiite population all over the world is certainly influenced and enhanced by the formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and also their interests in holy places such as the Rezavi Shrine of Mashhad as part of the religious ideology. Pilgrimages to holy places such as the Rezavi Shrine and the effects brought into the personal lives of the Shiaite pilgrims provide great and genuine causes for their "togetherness" and enhanced "belongingness". In turn, this phenomena provides a great opportunity and potential for Iran towards its geopolitical interests. In this paper, using descriptive, analytical and statistical effort, this ideology of Shiite is studied including its influence and effects on Shiite Geopolitics. This is done as a case study with emphasis on the pilgrims and pilgrimages to the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. Also shown is how these pilgrimages spread the awareness of the Iranian revolution, and the Islamic movements pertaining to this region and the entire Shiite community of the world.