Armenian neighborhoods in Iran and Lebanon hit as Pashinyan warns war could stall TRIPP

2026-03-16 - 13:44

The war in Iran has begun to reverberate across the globe as oil prices soar, with Tehran warning they could reach $200 per barrel if the conflict drags on. Meanwhile, the United States and Israel have shown no indication of halting the war, with the mayor of Tehran reporting that more than 9,000 targets have been hit by Washington and Tel Aviv in recent days. In turn, The United States announced the release of 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves to address soaring prices resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Within the U.N. Security Council, the situation remains tense following Iranian strikes on neighboring states, particularly in the Gulf region. Consequently, the Security Council adopted a draft resolution condemning Iran’s attack on Gulf countries and Jordan, with support from 13 of the council’s 15 members and backing from 135 states in the General Assembly. Russia and China abstained but did not use their veto power to block the resolution, signaling dissatisfaction with Iran’s aggression against neighboring states. Armenia’s role as evacuation corridor reaffirmed In the Caucasus, the situation remains stable. There are no reports of Armenian casualties since the war began, according to Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On March 10, the ministry reported that a second Armenian national would return to the country by March 16 from Iran. The ministry also said that nationals from 46 countries have left the war zone through Armenia. On March 11, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola reaffirmed Armenia’s role as a crucial humanitarian corridor amid the Iran conflict, expressing gratitude for the country’s assistance in evacuating European nationals. Among those evacuated over the past week were 550 Indians, Nigerians and 150 Russian personnel working at nuclear power plants in Iran. On March 14, an additional 10 Armenian citizens returned safely to Yerevan on a flight carrying 46 passengers from Muscat. Earlier, 11 Armenian citizens had returned to Armenia from Vietnam by March 9. Meanwhile, Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami, addressed Armenia-Iran relations, saying: “Fortunately, economic cooperation continues. Our border remains open for both passenger and cargo movement.” He added: “We have friendly relations with Armenia based on mutual trust. We have always emphasized that Armenia’s security is also our security. We take this issue very seriously and have proven this seriousness in the past. Therefore, we do not want this war to cause even the slightest harm to our friendly and brotherly country, Armenia. As for economic issues, fortunately, cooperation continues.” Moreover, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Davit Khudatyan said Yerevan is working with Iranian partners on a project to build a second bridge on the border with Iran, along with renovations at the Agarak border checkpoint. However, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he felt sorrow over the Middle East crisis and indicated that the war in Iran was hampering efforts to realize the TRIPP project. The greater concern, however, is consumer prices. Reports indicate shipping costs that previously required $5,000 to deliver goods to Armenia may now reach as high as $9,000 for a single container. Armenian communities face security concerns From a security perspective, the situation for Armenians in the region remains critical. A residential building in Tehran’s Armenian neighborhood was struck by a U.S.-Israeli attack, though no casualties were reported. An Israeli airstrike also struck the Nabaa suburb within the heavily Armenian-populated municipality of Bourj Hammoud in Lebanon, killing at least one person, though no Armenian casualties were reported. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, said he is closely following developments in the region and ensuring that Armenian communities in the Gulf region, Iran and Lebanon remain safe. He also expressed hope that the war will soon come to an end.