On Feb. 28, President Donald Trump announced that “major combat operations” in Iran had begun, in coordination with Israel, describing the action as a preemptive strike on Tehran. Trump said, “To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity, or in the alternative, face certain death.”
With its strategic location and role as one of the few possible safe transit routes from Iran to the outside world, Armenia plays a crucial humanitarian role during the conflict.
Amid rapid escalations and developments, regional states directly or indirectly affected by the conflict began taking precautions to ensure the safety of their citizens. Following the targeting of American assets in the Gulf states by the Islamic Republic of Iran, flights from Yerevan to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar were cancelled.
On the first day of the conflict, representatives of Armenian government agencies met to discuss the situation and consider relevant measures. As a result, a working group was formed to implement the agreed-upon framework.
At the same time, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry urged Armenian citizens in Iran and Israel to abide by all security measures. The ministry also provided hotlines for the Armenian embassies in Iran and Israel.
On March 1, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry said no Armenian casualties had been reported as a result of the hostilities. However, explosions were reported near St. Sarkis Armenian Church in central Tehran a day earlier.
Armenia’s Security Council also held a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, attended by President Vahagn Khachatryan and other senior officials. Officials presented reports and provided updates on the working group’s measures. Additional instructions were issued to ensure the continued safety of Armenia and Armenian citizens in conflict-affected states.
On the diplomatic front, Canada, Russia and China announced that Armenia was prepared to facilitate the evacuation of their citizens from Iran through Armenian territory, specifically via the Agarak border crossing in southern Armenia.
The United Arab Emirates also announced it was prepared to oversee the evacuation of Armenian citizens through Oman to Armenia, if necessary.
On March 2, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan extended condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian following the deaths of Iranian leaders and citizens. The statement said, “At this difficult moment, we sincerely hope for the swift restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.” At the same time, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan spoke by phone with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, to discuss the rapidly developing situation in the Middle East and expressed “his condolences to the families of those killed in Iran.”
Armenia’s Defense Ministry stated that relevant bodies were taking necessary steps to ensure safety and stability. The Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs also said that there were no reported Armenian casualties. Meanwhile, Geghard Mansourian, an Armenian lawmaker in Iran’s parliament, said: “Very important areas were hit by missiles. I myself was in Tehran, and of course, as I am telling you now, in the past two or three hours I myself have already left Tehran and am heading toward Isfahan. Thank God, nothing has happened within the Armenian community.”
Domestically, opposition lawmaker Gegham Manukyan said images showing Pashinyan and members of his ruling party “on a bus, eating pastries, meeting residents and even playing cards” drew significant public backlash and reflected poorly on the government’s sense of responsibility. Another opposition lawmaker, Artur Khachatryan, questioned whether the government understood the economic consequences of a prolonged closure of the Iranian border and whether it had a plan if 50,000 or 100,000 people were to arrive from Iran. Mayr Hayastan party leader Andranik Tevanian accused the ruling party of focusing solely on preserving power. In response, Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Arayik Harutyunyan said such criticism exploited the crisis for political gain.
Iran is lashing out at all of its neighbours.
The Armenian High Command must be on full alert in case Iran strikes north.
Armenia can rest easy in that Iran is most unlikely to attack Armenia. Iran has more verve than Russia in that it attacking hosts of the USA locally for their collusion whereas Russia just takes it over the weapons and other support provided to Ukraine causing great detriment to their cause but in NATO countries life just carries on, as Russia deliberately by refusing to supply defensive weapons left Assad’s Syria helpless with the evermore hollow ” reserves the right to respond” to the unanswered Israeli attacks which led to Syria morale collapse and the implosion of his regime in 2024 . Still refugees from the conflict are possible and as Iran had given sanctuary to Armenians fleeing Turkic killers Armenia should remember their kindness when Armenians were in grave danger.
Iran has struck at targets in Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Oman. It’s retaliating against Israel and hosts of the US.
It has not struck at Armenia,Azerbaijan Turkey, Turkmenistan , Afghanistan, Pakistan
Fortunately, there are no US bases in Armenia (yet), because Iran has attacked all regional countries that host US bases (with the curious exception of Turkey), and has also attacked the UK base in Cyprus.
I hope Armenia doesn’t get dragged into this war and does its utmost to remain neutral, and also closes its border with Iran to prevent a spillover.
It is pretty clear to me why they have not and will not attack Injirlik- because it’s in Cilicia. They know better.. They are not going to bombard Adana. Ironic, in a way.
I thought the reason Iran initially didn’t launch missiles or drones at Incirlik air base was because Turkey is a NATO member, and according to Article 5 of the NATO Charter, an attack on one NATO member is considered an attack on all NATO members; until Iran launched a missile at Turkey today, with Incirlik the likely target, which was shot down.
It’s very unlikely that Armenia would be dragged into the war since it has a cordial all weather relationship with Iran and it’s cultivating of links with the USA is driven by disaffection with Russia and not a conspiracy against Iran. Interesting to see the selfish nature of some posters such as Steve in quite forgetting that Iran was accomodating to Armenians with the genocide and didn’t close its border indeed actually sent diplomats to escort Armenians into its territory and thus out of reach of Turkic killers.
Also i should have added Kuwait has been on Iran’s target list.
@Charles
In times of crisis, such as wars, countries will naturally think of their national security first, which often include shutting borders and selectively letting or barring the entry of potential refugees, among many other measures.
A small and vulnerable country like Armenia, with only three million inhabitants and meagre resources, cannot take in millions of Iranian refugees; it should only accept Iranian Armenians, who number at most 300,000. 80,000 Armenians from Iran have settled in Armenia over the decades, forming the largest group of returnees from the diaspora.
Look at the example of Lebanon, a small and resource-poor country with a population size similar to Armenia’s, which accepted hundreds of thousands of refugees, who eventually comprised half of the country’s population, eventually destabilizing it and plunging it into a destructive 15-year-long civil war, from which it has never recovered.
What you describe as “selfish”, is national self-preservation.
It seems that US bases in Turkey have been used more as a historical check on the USSR and to strike at Syria and Iraq and they don’t seem to have been much used to harras Iran and Turkey is opposed to the attacks on Iran from what it appears also Turkey is stronger than the Arab puppets and a NATO member although this hasn’t stopped targeting of the British base in Cyprus although Cyprus not a NATO member.
Armenia must be prepared to give Iran a crushing blow if it launches a drone attack on Yerevan.
The target will be the American Embassy.
The Persians are on a par with the Turks and cannot be trusted.
Steve, All countries should put their self interest first countries that won’t such as the UK currently are doomed. However Iran gave sanctuary and residence to Armenians and didn’t go oh sorry can’t come here your not Iranians nor Muslims same with Lebanon. Hence with such selfish chauvinism it shouldn’t surprise that Armenia had almost no international support for the now lost Arktash cause…
Robert, if Iran was to strike the US embassy in Yerevan then closing the border would be appropriate and diplomatic recall, save the weapons for Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Best to ignore the Turk, Steve.