Officials at the Agarak crossing in the southeastern Syunik province told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that the number of border crossings into Armenia has increased three to four times compared to the flow observed before Israel began on June 13 massive air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and military installations, triggering Tehran’s response.
Hundreds of people have been killed or injured on both sides as Israel and Iran continue to exchange air strikes and issue escalating threats of war. The Israeli attacks have reportedly left many Iranians fearing for their safety.
“We left Tehran because of the bombings. The city was pretty empty,” one ethnic Iranian woman said on Wednesday.
The woman, who said she lives in the United States and was in Iran for a visit, explained that her flight home was canceled after the strikes began.
“We have a lot of family in Iran. All are very scared and trying to leave Tehran. Everyone is worried and hoping that an all-out war doesn’t happen,” she added.
Official statistics is not yet available, but local observers estimate that the number of arrivals in Armenia from Iran now reaches several thousand per day -- a sharp increase from the average of fewer than 500 daily border crossings in April. The number is expected to rise further if the conflict continues to escalate.
Most Iranians crossing into Armenia avoid speaking on camera for fear of potential repercussions from their government. The majority appear to be women and elderly people.
Armenian taxi drivers say they have been dealing with the influx by working in shifts throughout the day, offering transportation services to those entering the country and needing to travel further inland. However, some Iranians find the fares charged by them – between $300 and $350 per person – too exorbitant.
“The taxi driver asked $350 for a ride. I told him he could take other passengers too. He then said I could pay $250,” an Iranian woman complained.
Some tourist minivans are also available, but new arrivals say it is extremely difficult to secure a spot for this more affordable option. The adjacent town of Agarak is several hundred kilometers away from Yerevan and other central Armenian cities and towns.
Those fleeing the conflict say they either want to proceed to other countries or remain in Armenia until the situation in Iran stabilizes. Among the arrivals are also ethnic Armenians, whose population in Iran is estimated at between 60,000 and 80,000.
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Wednesday that Yerevan is currently trying to assist not only Armenian citizens or ethnic Armenians but also citizens of other countries with evacuations from Iran.
“This is an ongoing process, and according to our assessment of the situation, the scale will only increase in the coming days,” Mirzoyan said in the Armenian parliament.
The conflict has also disrupted trade between Armenia and the Islamic Republic. On Wednesday, an RFE/RL correspondent witnessed a long line of mostly Iranian trucks stretching several kilometers on the Armenian side of the border. Earlier this week, Armenian Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan acknowledged the logistical challenges that Armenia-bound shipping was facing due to the war situation in Iran.
Iran is one of landlocked Armenia’s two commercial conduits to the outside world. According to various estimates, up to one-third of Armenian foreign trade is carried out through Bandar Abbas and other Iranian ports. Yerevan was quick to condemn the Israeli military campaign against Iran and call for an immediate end to it.