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High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia, Zareh Sinanyan, said on Monday that his office has lost contact with the Armenian community in Iran amid the ongoing demonstrations and the recent internet shutdown.
He was asked on the situation in Iran during a press briefing.
“In Iran, since Friday, when the protests intensified, we have had no information. At the moment, we are also unable to get in touch with our compatriots, which is a great cause for concern to us. We will continue our efforts to establish contact with Iranian-Armenians,” said Zareh Sinanyan.
He said that during the 2025 June Israeli-Iranian war, authorities were gathering information through resources set up at the Meghri border crossing on the Armenia–Iran border.
“At that time, we were receiving information about Armenians in Iran through our compatriots crossing the border. Perhaps we should begin doing the same in this case as well, starting today, since this information blackout is causing us great concern,” Sinanyan noted.
The High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs noted that at present there is insufficient information to organize an evacuation of Armenians. “As soon as we see that we have adequate information regarding our compatriots in Iran that allows us to make such an assessment, we will certainly do so,” Sinanyan said.
Addressing the question of whether it is possible to send an expert team to Iran, Zareh Sinanyan stated that this is currently unrealistic.
“Under these conditions, it is unrealistic to send an expert or any other team, as the situation remains unclear to us. We cannot know where we would be sending them. We need to understand, at least approximately, what is happening, particularly in cities with large Armenian populations, and then determine our further course of action accordingly,” Sinanyan emphasized.
The High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs also touched upon developments in Syria, particularly in Aleppo, noting that, unfortunately, what is happening in Syria has taken on a chronic nature, and people have already become accustomed to it.
“I say this with great sadness, of course. Our position is that life in Armenia is much better, and if you have the opportunity, come to Armenia, because the future in Syria is very uncertain,” Sinanyan said, addressing Syrian-Armenians.
Hundreds have died in the anti-government protests in Iran, according to various media reports.