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Exodus from Iran: Border Crossing at Agarak Sees Influx Amid Conflict
The Agarak border crossing between Armenia and Iran presents a stark, arid landscape as individuals seek to leave Iran amid escalating tensions. The area, characterized by its dry, rocky terrain and lack of vegetation, is currently witnessing an increase in people fleeing the conflict.
A Hasty Departure
At the Agarak crossing, scenes of hurried departures unfold daily. A woman, sporting a modern shaved haircut, clutches her infant while her husband negotiates fares with taxi drivers. Nearby, a family of three, including a young boy, prepares to return to their home in Austria.
- Most individuals crossing into Armenia appear to hold residency permits or citizenship in other nations.
- The reason for their departure is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, which has now entered its second week.
Fears and Concerns
A father, accompanied by his young child near a hired minivan, recounts his experience: “Today I saw one site where the bombing happened,” he says, having journeyed from the northwestern city of Tabriz. “All the people are scared, every place is dangerous; it’s not normal.”
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Escalation of Hostilities
The recent outbreak of violence began on June 13th, with reported Israeli strikes targeting purported Iranian nuclear and military installations and populated areas. Reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) indicate a significant loss of life. Iran has responded with retaliatory missile strikes into Israel.
Tehran Under Pressure
Israel has asserted dominance in the skies over Tehran and has reportedly advised evacuations from certain districts. Consequently, significant traffic congestion has been observed on routes leading out of the city, as many of its residents attempt to find safer locations.
Eyewitness Accounts
Individuals who drove from Tehran to Armenia report journeys lasting at least 12 hours. Some state they did not directly witness the Israeli strikes but heard the explosions.
According to a young Afghan man, who wished to remain anonymous, “It was troubling there. Every night, attacks from Israel. I just escaped from there… There were no flights, not any other ways to come from there.”
He described the situation in Tehran as “very bad,” adding, “People who have somewhere to go, they are leaving… every night is like attacking; people cannot sleep because of the sounds of explosions. The situation is not good at all.”
Returning Home
A young woman wearing a white headscarf and false eyelashes stated she was returning to her country of residence, Australia. “I saw something that is very hard; I don’t want to talk about it,” she said as she boarded a car headed for Yerevan. “Someone comes and attacks your country; would you feel normal?”
Differing Perspectives
While some Israeli officials have suggested the conflict could lead to a change of government in Iran, Javad, who was visiting Sabzevar for the summer before traveling back to Germany, expressed skepticism: “Israel has no chance. Israel is not a friend for us; it’s an enemy,” he asserted. “Israel cannot come to our home to help us. Israel needs to change something for itself, not for us.”
Staying Put
Conversely, some Iranians, like Ali Ansaye, who had been vacationing in Armenia, were returning to Tehran. “I have no concerns, and I am not scared at all. If I am supposed to die, I will die in my country,” he stated.
He accused Israel of “harassing the entire world – Gaza, Lebanon, and other countries.”
“How can such a small country have nuclear weapons?” he questioned. “Based on 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 widely assumed to possess nuclear arms, although it maintains a policy of neither confirming nor denying their existence.