Iranians go to Armenia to avoid conflict with Israel

It is hot, dusty and feels like a desert on the Agarak border between Armenia and Iran.

In the surrounding areas there are dry, rocky mountains – neither trees nor shadows. This is not the welcoming area, especially for those who traveled long hours to reach Armenia.

A woman with a fashionable haircut, with the lower half of the shaved head, holds the baby, while the husband is negotiating at the price of taxi drivers. There is another family of three with a little boy who goes back to the country of residence, Austria.

Most of those who go to Armenia seemed to have residence or citizenship in other countries. Many have left the conflict between Israel and Iran, the eighth day.

“Today I saw one site where the bombing happened,” said a father who stood with a young child near the minibus they had just hired. They traveled from the Northwestern Tabriz.

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

The conflict began on June 13, when Israel attacks on nuclear and military places, as well as some inhabited areas.

News Agency -activists Human Rights (Hrana) – Washington Human Rights Organization that has long been monitoring Iran – says 657 people have been killed. Iran avenged missile attacks on Israel, killed at least 24 people.

Israel says he has set the preference for the air over Tehran and ordered people to leave some of his areas. In recent days, large congestion have been formed on the roads from the city, as some of the 10 million residents have been looking for security elsewhere.

Those who went to Armenia from Tehran said the journey took at least 12 hours. A few told us that they did not see Israeli strikes – but they heard the sound of the explosions they caused.

“There was anxious. Every night, attacks from Israel. I just escaped from there. There were no flights, not any other ways came from there,” said the young Afghan man with one suitcase who did not want to call.

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

“People who have to go where they go. They go away. Every night is like an attack, people can’t sleep, out of the sounds of the blasts, the situation is not good,” he said.

A young woman with a white handkerchief and thick fake lashes said she returned to her country of residence, Australia.

“I saw what is very difficult, I don’t want to talk about it,” she said, sitting in a car with several others for further journey to Armenian Yerevan’s capital.

“Someone comes and attacks your country, are you feeling normal?”

Some Israeli ministers said that the conflict could lead to the collapse of the regime in Iran.

But Javad, who visited the north -east city of Sabzavar for summer holidays and headed back to Germany – said he thought it was unlikely.

“Israel has no chance. Israel is not a friend for us, it’s an enemy,” he said. “Israel cannot come to our home to help us. Israel needs something to change for us, not for us.”

However, some Iranians crossed the other direction. Last night Ali Ansai, who was resting in Armenia with his family, went back to Tehran.

“I have no problem and I’m not afraid at all. If I have to die, I will die in my country,” he said.

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

“How can such a small country have nuclear weapons?” he asked. “Based on what law can have a bomb in this country, and Iran, which focused only on peaceful nuclear energy rather than on a bomb?”

It is believed that Israel has nuclear weapons, though it does not confirm or deny.