Iranian demonstrators questioned in Armenia as Iran slams authorities for allowing protests to continue
Iranian protesters in Armenia say they have been questioned by the country’s National Security Service (NSS) as they have held daily protests near the Iranian Embassy since last week. Separately, the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Khalil Shirgholami criticised the daily demonstrations, saying that they continue despite Tehran's protests. Shirgholami also claimed Armenia was becoming a ‘hub’ for forces ‘hostile’ to Iran.
OC Media learned about the questioning from several demonstrators near the Iranian Embassy on Tuesday. One protester said their brother was contacted on Monday morning and asked to report to the NSS.
‘They were asking him why are you protesting. He told them all the truth that was happening in Iran’, the protester said.
According to the demonstrator, the NSS also inquired about who was leading the protests in Armenia.
The same person added that the Armenian authorities ‘want us to stop’, claiming that during the first two days of the protest, before it received media attention, ‘they were trying to send us home. They were telling us that you cannot stay here, you cannot protest here’.
This occurred despite the protesters saying they had obtained a permit to hold the protest, as required under Armenian law.
Another demonstrator who was also aware of the questioning described it as ‘very odd and strange’.
‘As you see, this is all peaceful protest that we are doing, because we are in the land of Armenia and we are of course respectful to the rules of Armenia’, they said.
The second interviewee told OC Media that some protesters had also been questioned by ‘random people’ they alleged were Iranians connected to the Iranian government. They said they were questioned on the streets of Yerevan, particularly in Republic Square.
The NSS has declined to comment in a phone call, instead suggesting that a written inquiry be submitted, which OC Media has since done.
Protests in Yerevan have been taking place since last week, with Iranians in Armenia gathering near the embassy in the evenings for around three hours to show support for the ongoing protests in Iran.
The widespread anti‑government protests broke out in Iran starting in late December 2025, with limited information emerging due to internet and mobile network shutdowns. Reports have indicated that a government crackdown on demonstrators has thus far resulted in thousands of deaths and arrests.
Arshaluys Barseghyan
In Armenia, the demonstrators held Iranian flags, caricatures of Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, and photos depicting events in Iran during the demonstrations. They also chanted slogans such as ‘Death to the dictator’ and ‘Death to Khamenei’.
Armenia ‘a hub for the actions of forces hostile to Iran’
As Iranian protesters raised concerns about questioning by the NSS, Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Khalil Shirgholami, criticised the ongoing demonstrations and the ‘very disrespectful and insulting statements’ made during the rallies at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Unhappy with the protests, Shirgholami reminded Armenia that Iran stood by Armenia ‘during the most difficult times’.
‘Now we are in a difficult situation. And the event that takes place now in front of the Iranian Embassy will remain in the historical memory of the Iranian people’, Shirgholami added.
The ambassador said that Iranian authorities had repeatedly communicated their concerns about the protests to the relevant Armenian authorities, but the demonstrations continue.
‘In Tehran, a perception is forming that Armenia is becoming a hub for the actions of forces hostile to Iran’, Shirgholami added.
The ambassador also warned that if ‘hostile forces’ have any success, Armenia will also be ‘among the losers’.
Yerevan responded to Iran by pointing at the democracy in the country ensuring the rights of free assembly.
‘We are paying close attention to the statements coming from Iran’, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a press briefing on Thursday.
Pashinyan added that the Armenian side ‘have done and will continue to do everything to address all the concerns’ coming from Iran, calling it ‘a friendly and brotherly country’.
At the same time Pashinyan said that since 2018, as he came to power, no public gathering ‘has ever been banned in Armenia, and we could not make such a decision in any individual case’.
Before Pashinyan, the Armenian Internal Ministry responded to Shirgholami’s statement, saying that Armenia, as a democratic state, is ‘obliged not to impede’ people’s rights to freedom of movement and peaceful assembly.
The ministry also announced that they hold an ‘ongoing working-level communication’ with the Iranian Embassy regarding the issue.
They added that Armenian police served during all the gatherings near the embassy, ‘ensuring the safety of both the participants and the embassy building’.
The ministry noted that during one of the gatherings, one demonstrator was subjected to administrative detention for ‘not complying with the demand of a police officer’, without providing further information.
