Iranians head to Armenia to escape conflict with Israel

It is hot, dusty and looks like a desert in the border crossing of Agarak between Armenia and Iran.

There are dry and rocky mountains surrounding the area – no trees, no shade. It is not the most welcoming ground, especially for those who have traveled long hours to reach Armenia.

A woman with a fashionable haircut, with the lower half of her shaved head, holds her baby, while her husband is negotiating a price with taxi drivers. There are another family of three people with a little boy traveling to their country of residence in Austria.

Most people crossed in Armenia seemed to have a residence or citizenship in other countries. Many left because of the conflict between Israel and Iran, now in his eighth day.

“Today, I saw a site where the bombing has occurred,” said a standing father with a small child near the mini-duties they have just hired. They had traveled from the northwest city of Tabriz.

“All people are afraid, each place is dangerous, it’s not normal,” he added.

The conflict began on June 13, when Israel attacked nuclear and military sites as well as certain populated areas.

The news agency for human rights activists (Hrana) – an organization of human rights based in Washington which has long followed Iran – says that 657 people have so far been killed. Iran retaliated with missile attacks against Israel, killing at least 24 people.

Israel says he has established air superiority over Tehran and told people to leave some of his districts. In recent days, heavy traffic jams have formed on roads outside the city while some of its 10 million residents are looking for security elsewhere.

Those who led to Armenia of Tehran said that the trip had taken at least 12 hours. Several have told us that they had not seen the Israeli strikes – but heard the sound of the explosions they caused.

“It was disturbing there. Each night, attacks by Israel. I just escaped from there by the very difficult way. There were no flights, no other ways came from there,” said a young Afghan man with a single suitcase, who did not want to be named.

He described the situation in Tehran as “very bad”.

“People who have a place to go, they leave. Each night is like attacking, people cannot sleep, because of the sounds of the explosions, the situation is not good at all,” he said.

A young woman with a white scarf and thick lady stroke said that she was returning to her country of residence in Australia.

“I saw something that is very difficult, I don’t want to talk about it,” she said on board a car with several others for the trip to the Armenian capital Erevan.

“Someone comes and attacks your country, would you feel normal?”

Some Israeli ministers have spoken of the possibility that the conflict could lead to a collapse of the regime in Iran.

But Javad – who had visited the city in the northeast of Sabzevar for the summer holidays and returned to Germany – said he thought it was unlikely.

“Israel has no chance. Israel is not a friend for us, he is an enemy,” he said. “Israel cannot come to us to help us. Israel must change something for us not for us.”

However, some Iranians on the border crossed the other direction. The day before, Ali Ansaye, who had a vacation in Armenia with his family, returned to Tehran.

“I have no concerns, and I am not at all afraid. If I am supposed to die, I will die in my country,” he said.

He said that Israel “harassed the whole world – Gaza, Lebanon and other countries”.

“How can such a small country have nuclear weapons?” He asked. “On the basis of which law can this country have a bomb, and Iran, which has only focused on peaceful nuclear energy and not a bomb, cannot?”

Israel is largely suspected of having nuclear weapons, although it does not confirm or deny it.