‘No rally banned in Armenia since 2018’ — Pashinyan responds to Iranian envoy
“No rally has been banned in Armenia since 2018. We could not act differently in any single case,” said Armenia’s prime minister Nikol Pashinyan in response to statements by Iran’s ambassador to Armenia. 2018 was the year when Nikol Pashinyan’s team came to power following the Velvet Revolution.
A day earlier, Iran’s ambassador Khalil Shirgholami complained that the Armenian authorities had allowed protests to take place outside the embassy for several consecutive days. After his remarks, Iranians living in Armenia again gathered outside the embassy. They called for an end to the bloodshed in their homeland.
Pashinyan said Armenia treats statements by its Iranian counterparts with great care. He added that Armenia will continue to do everything possible “to dispel all concerns of a friendly and brotherly country”.
Armenia’s interior ministry issued a statement in a similar vein.
“Armenia, as a democratic state, cannot interfere with the exercise of citizens’ rights to freedom of movement and freedom of peaceful assembly,” the ministry said.
Protests in Iran began in late 2025. Experts say a sharp devaluation of the Iranian currency triggered them. Demonstrations that initially focused on social grievances later turned into anti-government protests.
Iranians who have left the country say Iran has lacked internet access for an extended period. They add that phone services now work only domestically, with international calls cut off. Reports speak of hundreds of deaths among protesters and law enforcement personnel. According to information received by Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of Armenia, the dead include 12 Armenians. Officials have already confirmed two of those deaths.
Ambassador: ‘A group of people were given permission to come to the Iranian embassy’
Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami, said at a press conference in Yerevan:
“A group of people were given permission to come to the Iranian embassy and make disrespectful and offensive statements.”
He said protests have taken place outside the Iranian embassy for almost a week. According to him, demonstrations are held every evening from 18:00 to 21:00.
“We have repeatedly expressed our dissatisfaction over this issue to the relevant Armenian authorities,” the diplomat said. “However, this process continues.”
Shirgholami stressed that Iran supported the Armenian government during difficult times. He added that Iran is now facing a difficult situation itself.
The main messages Shirgholami said he wanted to convey to the Armenian authorities were as follows:
- what is happening near the embassy building will remain in the historical memory of the Iranian people;
- in Tehran, there is a growing perception that Armenia is becoming a centre for forces hostile to Iran;
- if these forces succeed in destabilising Iran, Armenia will also be among the losers.
Pashinyan: ‘We will take the necessary steps to prevent problems’
In response to the ambassador’s remarks, Armenia’s prime minister Nikol Pashinyan said Armenia is a democratic country where demonstrations are not banned. At the same time, he stressed that protests must not disrupt diplomatic work.
“Forms of expression must not interfere with the normal operation of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran or any other state,” Pashinyan said. “We will monitor the situation closely. We will also pay attention to the concerns linked to it. And we will act within our democratic principles.”
The prime minister said law enforcement agencies will take all necessary steps to prevent problems with the work of the embassy of Iran.
“As for those who cross the line of the law, the authorities will take appropriate measures,” he said. “I am aware that administrative cases have already been opened in some instances.”
In recent days, dozens of Iranians living in Armenia have gathered every evening outside the Iranian embassy. Some spoke about the severe economic situation in Iran. Others pointed to the lack of internet access and communication services. A number of protesters also criticised the use of force by law enforcement officers against demonstrators in Iran.
“We have evidence and information showing that medical facilities lack staff, including surgeons,” one participant in the protest in Yerevan told journalists. “Hospitals are receiving a large number of wounded people.”
The main demand voiced by Iranians holding rallies in Yerevan is “to stop the bloodshed”.
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Armenia’s interior ministry also responded to the ambassador’s statement
Armenia’s interior ministry said it is ensuring the security of all diplomatic missions, including the Iranian embassy. Officials said they are also guaranteeing the conditions necessary for normal operations.
“All gatherings took place in accordance with the law,” the ministry said. “The authorities ensured the safety of both protest participants and the embassy building.”
Law enforcement agencies also said they placed one protest participant under administrative arrest for failing to comply with a lawful order from a police officer.
