The war in Iran has begun to reverberate across the globe as oil prices soar, with Tehran warning they could reach $200 per barrel if the conflict drags on. Meanwhile, the United States and Israel have shown no indication of halting the war, with the mayor of Tehran reporting that more than 9,000 targets have been hit by Washington and Tel Aviv in recent days. In turn, The United States announced the release of 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves to address soaring prices resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Within the U.N. Security Council, the situation remains tense following Iranian strikes on neighboring states, particularly in the Gulf region. Consequently, the Security Council adopted a draft resolution condemning Iran’s attack on Gulf countries and Jordan, with support from 13 of the council’s 15 members and backing from 135 states in the General Assembly. Russia and China abstained but did not use their veto power to block the resolution, signaling dissatisfaction with Iran’s aggression against neighboring states.
Armenia’s role as evacuation corridor reaffirmed
In the Caucasus, the situation remains stable. There are no reports of Armenian casualties since the war began, according to Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On March 10, the ministry reported that a second Armenian national would return to the country by March 16 from Iran. The ministry also said that nationals from 46 countries have left the war zone through Armenia. On March 11, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola reaffirmed Armenia’s role as a crucial humanitarian corridor amid the Iran conflict, expressing gratitude for the country’s assistance in evacuating European nationals. Among those evacuated over the past week were 550 Indians, Nigerians and 150 Russian personnel working at nuclear power plants in Iran.
On March 14, an additional 10 Armenian citizens returned safely to Yerevan on a flight carrying 46 passengers from Muscat. Earlier, 11 Armenian citizens had returned to Armenia from Vietnam by March 9.
Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami, addressed Armenia-Iran relations, saying: “Fortunately, economic cooperation continues. Our border remains open for both passenger and cargo movement.” He added: “We have friendly relations with Armenia based on mutual trust. We have always emphasized that Armenia’s security is also our security. We take this issue very seriously and have proven this seriousness in the past. Therefore, we do not want this war to cause even the slightest harm to our friendly and brotherly country, Armenia. As for economic issues, fortunately, cooperation continues.”
Moreover, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan said Yerevan is working with Iranian partners on a project to build a second bridge on the border with Iran, along with renovations at the Agarak border checkpoint. However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he felt sorrow over the Middle East crisis and indicated that the war in Iran was hampering efforts to realize the TRIPP project. The greater concern, however, is consumer prices. Reports indicate shipping costs that previously required $5,000 to deliver goods to Armenia may now reach as high as $9,000 for a single container.
Armenian communities face security concerns
From a security perspective, the situation for Armenians in the region remains critical. A residential building in Tehran’s Armenian neighborhood was struck by a U.S.-Israeli attack, though no casualties were reported. An Israeli airstrike also struck the Nabaa suburb within the heavily Armenian-populated municipality of Bourj Hammoud in Lebanon, killing at least one person, though no Armenian casualties were reported.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, said he is closely following developments in the region and ensuring that Armenian communities in the Gulf region, Iran and Lebanon remain safe. He also expressed hope that the war will soon come to an end.
Persian promises are worthless.
The Persians have hit the American embassy in Baghdad, at least, 3 times since the war began.
It all depends on how long the war goes on and how desperate the Persians become.
The American embassy in Yerevan is gigantic, just take a walk around and have a look at it, it is huge.
Obviously, the Americans are using it to spy on Iran so the Persians will feel they have the right to hit it.
I hope the Armenian High Command has moved interceptor missiles to Syunik so as to shoot down any missiles and drones long before they come anywhere near Yerevan.
Given Armenia’s bitter history with the Persians, they can never, ever be trusted.
Indeed. For the abovementioned reasons, there is absolutely no guarantee that Iran won’t attack Armenia. As the war drags on and Iran becomes more desperate, this risk will certainly increase.
Even worse, the inept Pashinyan government failed to adequately prepare for or plan for these scenarios, and they have now become a reality.
Armenians in Iran and Lebanon (and also in Iraq and Syria) have no future in these hopeless and perpetually conflict-ridden lands. Since the Islamic Revolution and the Lebanese Civil War respectively, the Armenian population in both countries has more than halved. The Armenian communities in Syria and Iraq have collapsed, after these countries descended into civil wars. Armenians in the Middle East suffer and endure hardships like no other Armenian community does in the diaspora. Armenia should invite them and resettle them in their homeland. Since gaining independence, 80,000 Armenians from Iran have settled in Armenia, representing the largest number of returnees from the diaspora. Following independence, thousands more Armenians from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have also settled in Armenia, especially in the last two decades from the latter two countries. Armenia may not be rich and abundant in resources, and it is itself threatened, but ultimately it is the only homeland and refuge for Armenians, and compared to Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, it looks like a land of plenty.
I fully agree. İnstead of Anti Pashinyan rhetoric all the time ARF should focus on the positive developments made by Armenia in the last 5 Years in various areas. İt also needs to work in settling many Armenians epecially the ones from the Mid East in Armenia. Many already did even from places like the U.Sor Australia by their own means. Organized Work would make their numbers grow. It will benefit our homeland.
Israel has given every Jew in the world, the right to return.
Armenia must do the same.
Every Armenian, no matter where they are in the world, must always be able to have the comfort and security of knowing that they can come home to the Motherland – Hayastan!
If you join NATO, you will receive protection. Iran launched 2 missiles, 1 drone and all were intercepted by NATO defenses. Turkey didnt have to lift a finger. Its not like the Russian version where your defense relies on Putins feelings on the day (like what we saw previously).
Thanks for the considerate thoughts but Russia will never let Armenia join NATO. Turkey might not either. And Armenia has nothing going for it that would incentivize the US to let Armenia join it either. If they even try to join NATO, they will end up like Ukraine but worse
Cutting Armenia off from its only ally would leave Armenia naked and totally at the mercy of you Turks.
You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Turk?
Oil prices have shot up to 100 a barrel, yet there is no mention of so-called ‘azerbaijani oil’ whatsoever. Total silence.
Hope everyone noticed that.
Azerbaijan, whose oil wells, refineries and pipelines have not been targeted by Iranian drones and missiles so far, must be delighted at the soaring oil prices.
Unfortunately, too many countries buy Azerbaijani petroleum, thus bolstering the Aliyev dictatorship, and which enabled that regime to invest and modernize its military, at the expense of Armenia’s, and which led to the destruction of Artsakh.
However, with oil accounting for more than 90% of Azerbaijan’s exports, it is always a double-edged sword for a vulnerable undiversified economy like Azerbaijan’s.
Since more than 90% of that country’s economy is based on petroleum, attacking its oil wells, refineries and pipelines would cause its economy to collapse, and cause mass poverty just like it experienced during the 1980s and 1990s.
This opportunistic country got away with its crimes against Armenians for too long, and I hope it gets burned for it.
90% of economy is based on oil? that’s certainly an exaggeration. Oil prices hit 110 per barrel, even sanctions on iranian oil are lifted, yet we have not heard anything about ‘azerbaijani oil’. let me guess why.
Interesting that the pro Russian posters seem to almost as anti Iranian as they are anti Turkish which is ironic considering the far more amenable relationship with the Iranians Armenians have also seem to be most keen to protect the US embassy obviously as host there’s a duty of care but an element of running dog and dupe seems to be relevant here.
@ Charles: that’s one long meaningless sentence – AI generated perhaps?
@ Reader, I didn’t get to add punctuation, nothing at all AI generated, that’s your own idea. Just like not being able to see the contrast in the support the USA provided for the Kosovo cause albeit for murky reasons, and the pathetic level of support and subsequent betrayal Russia provided to Armenia over Artash. Indeed ironically Armenia will probably now a US aligned country will likely provide more recognition for Kosovo than Armenia ever afforded for it’s own Artaskh cause…
The Turks have the second largest army in Nato.
They will veto any application to join Nato.
All that the Americans care about is their air base at Incirlik.
The West stands behind the Turks.
They are not Armenia’s friends.
If the US is unable to subdue Iran, a country with a lower GDP than Ohio, which is looking increasingly likely at this point, that’s going to be an embarrassing humiliation that will send a message to all of America’s enemies worldwide that the US is an outstretched empire in decline that is no longer the global superpower it used to be, and can no longer police the world.
Armenia has to stop looking west. It’s obvious the west cant even take care of important vassal like Persian gulf countries
Hear! Hear!