“There Are No Plans to Evacuate Any Armenians From Iran,” Sinanyan Says

Armenian officials say they are unable to fully verify reports claiming that more than one Armenian was killed during the ongoing protests in Iran, citing serious communication barriers and a lack of reliable official confirmation.

The protests, which have spread across several parts of Iran, have led to clashes, arrests, and reported deaths, raising concern among minority communities, including Iran’s long-established Armenian population. In recent days, questions were raised about whether Armenians were among the victims and whether the situation could require emergency measures.

Responding to questions from The Armenian Report about Armenian casualties, communication challenges, and possible evacuation plans, Zareh Sinanyan, High Commissioner of Diaspora Affairs of Armenia explained that Armenian authorities cannot confirm reports without direct evidence or official verification from Iranian state institutions.

He said, “Answering your questions very briefly: no, we're not able to confirm any of that [deaths]. That's because, to confirm any of it, we would have to get some kind of confirmation from the government or witness it ourselves, which we haven't. By all indications, there is one Armenian victim, and this happened earlier on, but it is difficult to confirm 100%. Today we finally got in touch with the army and the embassy in Iran, but the information we received is very unreliable and of poor quality. There are no plans to evacuate any Armenians from Iran, nor does there appear to be, at this point, any demand for it.”

The statement indicates that, despite reports suggesting two or more Armenian casualties, Armenian officials can only point to one earlier case that appears credible. Even that case, however, cannot be confirmed with full certainty due to limited access to reliable sources inside Iran.

Sinanyan also addressed concerns about the lack of communication. He acknowledged that contact with Iran, including with the Armenian embassy and military-related channels, has been extremely limited. According to him, communication was only recently reestablished, and the information received so far has been unreliable and of poor quality.

Regarding the safety of Armenians living in Iran, Sinanyan’s response suggests that assessments are being made with incomplete and delayed information, making it difficult to form a clear picture of conditions on the ground as protests continue.

He further stated that there are currently no plans to evacuate Armenians from Iran. According to Sinanyan, there is no indication at this time that the Armenian community in Iran is seeking evacuation or emergency assistance.

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