Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I is closely and with deep concern following developments affecting Armenian communities in the Middle East and remains in constant contact with them, the Catholicosate’s press office reported.
“In recent days, the war unleashed by the United States and Israel against Iran has effectively encompassed the entire Middle East. The war has resulted in deaths, panic, uncertainty and widespread anxiety. Naturally, Armenian communities in Middle Eastern countries have also been affected, to varying degrees, by the consequences of the war.
On behalf of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, Aram I expressed deep condolences to all victims and wished a swift recovery to the wounded. At the same time, the Patriarch calls for an end to military actions in all regions and for a just resolution of these issues through political negotiations,” the statement said.
An extraordinary session of the Central National Administration will be convened under the chairmanship of Aram I.
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States has launched a large-scale operation against Iran, stating that Washington will not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons and that this remains unchanged U.S. policy.
Israel, for its part, has carried out a preventive strike against Iran “to neutralize the threat,” according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who also declared a state of emergency across the country. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has responded with strikes against U.S. military facilities in the Middle East.
