Massachusetts man concerned for safety of Armenian family and friends in Iran

From the flags waving outside churches to the food lining the shelves inside local markets, Armenian culture is visible throughout Watertown, Massachusetts. For many Armenians in Watertown, their ties to the global diaspora remain deeply personal, feelings especially heightened for the ones surrounded by fire in Iran.

"There has been Armenian presence for a long time," said Ara Nazarian, a local member of the Armenian National Committee of America who grew up in Iran.

Nazarian immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s, but some of his family and friends remain in Tehran, part of longstanding Armenian neighborhoods in the country.

Armenians in Iran

Watching recent explosions and unrest unfold has brought back difficult memories from his childhood.

"it's a little bit of a flashback because you can see some of these explosions and everything that happened and I witnessed that when I was a kid myself growing up there," Nazarian said, recalling the time his middle school was struck with a rocket. "[Armenians] in Iran face the same challenges as the citizens in the countries do which is danger, fortunately none of our infrastructures have been hit even though we've had explosions very close. And we haven't had human loss most important."

"It's a reslient community"

The uncertainty has also made communication more difficult for families separated by thousands of miles.

"People still have relatives, people who still have friends that they grew up with. So those bonds are there and that makes it what makes it really difficult because then you're helpless and you see, they could be subjected to harm and there's nothing you can do about it," Nazarian said.

Despite the anxiety, Nazarian said he remains hopeful for the safety of civilians in the region.

"It's a resilient community. We've seen a lot of upheavals in the past many decades and just wish them well so that they can see through this one as well," he said.