Iranian envoy says situation not critical: no panic and no shortages

The situation in Iran is “not critical,” and public life continues with no panic among the people, according to Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami.

He told Armenpress that more than 3,000 people have been killed across Iran since February 28. The U.S. and Israel launched what they described as a pre-emptive strike against Iran on February 28, claiming that Tehran was developing a nuclear weapon and posed a threat—an allegation Iran has denied. In response, Iran launched counterattacks, firing missiles and drones at Israel, as well as at U.S. assets and other targets across the Middle East.

In an interview with Armenpress, the ambassador praised the humanitarian aid provided by Armenia as a sign of the “warm friendship” between the Armenian and Iranian peoples.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi lauded Armenia for its humanitarian support, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran entered its second month. Ambassador Shirgholami told Armenpress that Araghchi also spoke by phone with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to express gratitude to the people and government of Armenia for their support.

“We have received humanitarian aid from both state and private organizations and sent it to Iran. Although the situation in Iran is not critical at the moment, these humanitarian contributions are truly valuable to us. Literally just yesterday, a group of people came to the embassy carrying boxes full of medicine. This beautifully demonstrates, once again, the warm friendship between the Armenian and Iranian peoples,” the ambassador said.

He added that there is no panic in Iran, which reflects the strong will of the people. Public life continues as usual, shops operate without disruptions, and there is no shortage of food or other goods.

“Nevertheless, considering that the war is ongoing, there is still a need for aid—primarily medicine, medical supplies, and orthopedic devices—because many people trapped under rubble have sustained varying degrees of physical injuries. During wartime, everyone requires primary aid,” Shirgholami noted.

He also said that as long as military operations continue, it is difficult to fully assess the damage inflicted upon Iran. The ambassador emphasized that international law stipulates that if one country commits aggression against another, it must be condemned and compensate for the damage caused.

“Our government has developed a mechanism by creating a special website to record individuals affected by military actions and those who have lost property. Everything is documented. Public institutions have also suffered significant damage, including educational and sports complexes and other facilities, which the state must work to restore. But what hurts us the most are the human losses. Since the beginning of the war, more than 3,000 people have already been killed, including women and children. Knowing our people, I am confident that through their strong will, they will work with their government to restore the country,” the ambassador said.

Shirgholami also noted with regret that the Armenian community in Iran has suffered losses. He reported the death of an Iranian-Armenian man, Hovhannes Simonyan, in Isfahan. Many homes and apartments were destroyed by the American-Israeli strikes, he said.

“The government has taken appropriate measures to provide them with housing. In recent days, I have been in constant contact with representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church Diocese of Iran and with Iranian-Armenian members of the Iranian Parliament, as I am very concerned about the current situation of the Armenian community in Iran. Unfortunately, we have also suffered a tragic loss among our Armenian compatriots. In Isfahan, Hovhannes Simonyan was killed. We have expressed our condolences in this regard. Yesterday, his funeral was held with great honor, attended by representatives of both the Muslim and Christian communities. As ambassador, I also conveyed my personal condolences to the Armenian community and to Hovhannes Simonyan’s family,” Shirgholami said.