Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said 110 Armenian citizens have already returned to Armenia from the United Arab Emirates via Oman after being unable to return due to the military actions of the United States and Israel against Iran and the escalation of tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking about the evacuation efforts, Mirzoyan said Armenian embassies in relevant countries were placed on emergency duty after the escalation around Iran and the start of hostilities.
“Contact was established with Armenian citizens, and now ways are being sought to safely return them to Armenia. Of course, the difficulties are obvious: a closed flight zone has been declared in almost all relevant countries and flights have been canceled,” Mirzoyan said.
He explained that the UAE shares a land border with Oman, which has allowed Armenia to organize the transfer of its citizens by land to Oman and from there arrange flights to Yerevan.
“Taking advantage of this opportunity, we have organized and continue to organize the transfer of our citizens from the UAE to Oman, from where flights to Yerevan are arranged,” the minister said.
Mirzoyan also clarified the role of the Armenian Foreign Ministry in the process.
“In the case of transporting people from the UAE to Oman, we are talking about a distance of about 400 kilometers. Our job is to organize the transportation, find companies and pay them, since the transportation is covered by the Armenian government. Our task is also to ensure the safe passage of people from the UAE to Oman, take them to the airport and organize the necessary formalities,” he said.
According to Mirzoyan, the foreign ministry has also been working to obtain flight permits and negotiate with airlines where necessary.
He said flights had already taken place yesterday and today, with additional flights scheduled for the coming days. At the same time, he considers the possibility of resuming flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to be high.
Mirzoyan added that Armenian authorities remain in constant contact with citizens in several countries.
According to him, two Armenian citizens currently in Oman do not wish to return. Two others arrived in Oman from the Far East and later traveled to Armenia. There are also 15 Armenian citizens in Israel, five of whom have expressed a desire to return.
The minister said Armenian authorities are also in contact with 17 citizens in Kuwait who want to return, although there are currently no realistic routes due to flight restrictions. Armenian citizens in Doha are also unable to leave for now, but they have been provided with accommodation and food. Two citizens there required medication, which was delivered through the embassy.
Mirzoyan said there is one Armenian citizen in Vietnam who holds permanent residence rights in Bahrain and does not intend to return. In India, 117 Armenian citizens are currently staying for tourism purposes and as part of the “Sevan Startup” program. Armenian citizens are also in Sri Lanka.
“In all places we maintain contact with our citizens and try to help them return. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it is simply impossible because flight zones are closed,” Mirzoyan said.
Responding to criticism that citizens have to pay up to $1,400 for flights from Oman to Yerevan, Mirzoyan said the Armenian government covers the cost of transporting citizens from the UAE to Muscat Airport, while the flights themselves are operated by private airlines.
“We have negotiated with airlines, but these flights are not carried out along the usual routes because the regular air corridors are closed. This means two or three times longer flight time and therefore higher costs,” he said.
“I ensured that our citizens have the opportunity to return and that the government covers part of the route. If there are other groups that require support, we will consider assuming that financial burden,” Mirzoyan said.
