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Iranian students in Yerevan ponder their country's fate

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Students' admiration for the US mixes with loyalty to Iran

Just as Europe, North America and, certainly, the Middle East, has ratcheted up the rhetoric on possible military action in Iran, so has it become the topic of conversation among some in Armenia – and a matter of considerable concern for some 4-5,000 Iranians living here.

“There is a number of reasons the US wants to begin the conflict. America doesn’t want Iran to have a nuclear energy and nuclear weapons,” says Mohammad, 21 (who like other students feared using his real name). “It thinks this way: a knife is a good thing, but one can’t trust it to a child. They think if Iran has nuclear weapons it may be dangerous to the world. “The arguments the US bring are absurd, for Iran, like America, has the right for armament. But in truth, America wants the Iranian oil.”

Mohammad has been living in Armenia for five years studying at the Yerevan State Engineering University. Like his compatriots in Iran he is also concerned about the possibility of war.

“Our country thinks, why shouldn’t Iran have a nuclear bomb in case when America and many other powerful countries have it? In 2001 when the New York skyscrapers exploded, America began fight against Muslims. It hit Iraq, Afghanistan, and said it is now Iran’s turn. So Iran began thinking of its future,” says Mohammad.

Sousan, 22, who has been living in Armenia for three years and studies at the same university shares Mohammad’s speculation that war, while possible, is not imminent.

“I think America has already regretted the attack on Iraq; and that saves it from attacking Iran now. But if it does, I don’t think the people will suffer, as they will choose places where weapons are made to attack and not the peaceful population,” she says.

According to the young adults, however, many in their country – including Armenians and Jews – have already left out of fear of the future. Iranians mainly flee to the US, Europe, United Arab Emirates and India. One Yerevan expert predicts that Armenia can expect an influx from its neighbor, should hostile talk turn to action (see “Active Neutrality”).

The students say a significant part of Iranians prefers leaving for the US to settle there, prompting a question of why they would choose their enemy’s homeland.

Some students come to Armenia for the purpose of getting a visa to America. (Students come to Armenia to apply for visas to the US. They also stay here, to avoid military conscription.) They say America offers a standard of living they can find neither in Iran nor Armenia.

“Of course, I love my country very much,” says Ismail, 20. “But my own life is more important to me and I don’t want to be engaged in political games. Although I don’t think war will begin. But even if it does that will be battle of governments. Governments play with people.

“I have already made my first step, I will likely leave for Canada, my second step will be the US. I love that country for I can study, work and enjoy myself there.”

Students agree that Armenia will not sacrifice its good relation with Iran for the sake of siding with the US in a conflict.

“It is not accidental that the first foreign embassy in Armenia was that of Iran,” says Mohammad. “Armenia has 3 million population and Iran has 75 million. That is even if only 1 percent of the Iranian population comes to Armenia to study or to live the population of Armenia will grow for nearly 1 million; hence the economy will also develop. In this case Armenia is by no means interested in harming Iran.”

It is estimated that Iranians spend about $2.5 million each month in Armenia.

Taking into account this circumstance, leadership of some Armenian higher education institutions do not only reject talking about the US-Iran confrontation, but they also oppose the students studying in their institutions involvement in such talks. They say they don’t want to spoil neither the Armenia-Iran, nor the Armenia-US relations.