Iranians head to Armenia to flee battle with Israel

[ad_1] Rayhan Demytrie Caucasus correspondent

Reporting fromAgarak, Armenia <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/003d/live/c400f4b0-4de2-11f0-8709-8531b267ac06.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="BBC A middle-aged woman, wearing all white, with a child pushing a blue suitcase and two men looking ahead. There are a few other people in the background and a black car. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> BBC Some Iranians have been heading to the Agarak border crossing between Armenia and Iran to flee the nation

It is sizzling, dusty and appears like a desert on the Agarak border crossing between Armenia and Iran.

There are dry, rocky mountains surrounding the realm - no timber, no shade. It isn't essentially the most welcoming terrain, particularly for many who have travelled lengthy hours to succeed in Armenia.

A lady with a trendy haircut, with the decrease half of her head shaven, is holding her child, whereas her husband negotiates a value with taxi drivers. There's one other household of three with a little bit boy travelling again to their nation of residence, Austria.

Most of these crossing into Armenia appeared to have residency or citizenship in different international locations. Many have been leaving due to the battle between Israel and Iran, now in its eighth day.

"At present I noticed one website the place the bombing occurred," stated a father standing with a small little one close to the minivan that they only employed. They'd travelled from the north-western city of Tabriz.

"All of the persons are scared, each place is harmful, it is not regular," he added.

The battle started on 13 June, when Israel attacked nuclear and army websites in addition to some populated areas.

The Human Rights Activists Information Company (HRANA) - a Washington-based human rights organisation that has lengthy tracked Iran - says 657 folks have thus far been killed. Iran has retaliated with missile assaults on Israel, killing at the least 24 folks.

Israel says it has established air superiority over Tehran and has instructed folks to go away a few of its districts. In current days, heavy visitors jams have shaped on roads out of town as a few of its 10 million residents search security elsewhere.

Those that drove to Armenia from Tehran stated the journey had taken at the least 12 hours. A number of instructed us that they didn't see the Israeli strikes - however heard the sound of explosions they brought about.

"It was troubling there. Each night time, assaults from Israel. I simply escaped from there by very laborious means. There have been no flights, not every other methods come from there," stated a younger Afghan man with a single suitcase, who didn't wish to be named.

He described the scenario in Tehran as "very dangerous".

"Individuals who have someplace to go, they're leaving. Each night time is like attacking, folks can not sleep, due to the sounds of explosions, the scenario will not be good in any respect," he stated.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/2805/live/d8ae6c70-4de3-11f0-b3c6-a9d2451e570a.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="A man wearing sunglasses and a woman walking side by side at the border crossing. There are several people in the background " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Many say they got here to Iran for summer time holidays and are actually returning again to their locations of residence

A younger girl with white scarf and thick pretend lashes stated she was heading again to her nation of residence, Australia.

"I noticed one thing that could be very laborious, I do not wish to discuss it," she stated as she boarded a automobile with a number of others for the onward journey to the Armenian capital Yerevan.

"Somebody comes and assaults your nation, would you're feeling regular?"

Some Israeli ministers have talked up the likelihood that the battle might result in regime collapse in Iran.

However Javad - who had been visiting the north-eastern metropolis of Sabzevar for the summer time holidays and was heading again to Germany - stated he thought this was unlikely.

"Israel has no likelihood. Israel will not be a good friend for us, it is an enemy," he stated. "Israel can not come to our residence to assist us. Israel wants to vary one thing for itself not for us."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e564/live/8b46e600-4dee-11f0-8f25-e7d421518093.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters smoke rises from Israeli air strike on Tehran" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters Israel has struck Tehran repeatedly

Some Iranians on the border nonetheless have been crossing have been travelling within the different route. The earlier night, Ali Ansaye, who had been holidaying in Armenia along with his household, was heading again to Tehran.

"I've no considerations, and I'm not scared in any respect. If I'm alleged to die, I'll die in my nation," he stated.

He stated Israel was "harassing your entire world – Gaza, Lebanon and different international locations".

"How can such a small nation have nuclear weapons?" he requested. "Based mostly on which regulation can this nation have a bomb, and Iran, which has solely targeted on peaceable nuclear vitality and never a bomb, can not?"