Dozens of Iranians rallied there on a virtually daily basis last month to condemn the deadly suppression of the protests sparked by spiraling inflation and a free fall of the Iranian currency. Some openly called for the overthrow of the Iranian regime and restoration of monarchy in their country.
“I thank the relevant bodies of the Republic of Armenia as appropriate steps were taken in this situation,” said Ambassador Khalil Shirgholami. “The events that we witnessed in Iran were initially peaceful demonstrations, which received appropriate recognition from the state. But then certain organized groups imported into Iran from abroad tried to take this movement in a different direction and drag the country into civil war.”
Shirgholami strongly criticized the Armenian authorities on January 14 for allowing the gatherings. He said there is a growing sense within the Iranian leadership that “Armenia is becoming a serious center for the actions of forces hostile to Iran.” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian promised to address Tehran’s concerns the next day. He said Armenia “will not take steps against Iran's state security.”
Yerevan’s municipal administration banned the Iranian expats from marching from the embassy building to the city center on January 17. Several of them said afterwards that they were summoned to Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) and told not to participate in such demonstrations. They claimed to have been threatened with arrest and deportation from Armenia.
The NSS did not deny the claims. Meanwhile, the Armenian police forced the Iranians to gather farther away from the embassy building.