Russian orchestra 'stranded at Iran border' despite ministry's triumphant evacuation report

Members of Russia's acclaimed Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra are reportedly stranded at the Iranian border, stuck for hours without food, directly contradicting a celebratory announcement from Moscow's Ministry of Culture that they had been successfully evacuated from the conflict zone.
A musician from the orchestra, speaking to the independent news outlet ASTRA, said the group was being held at a border checkpoint, with Iranian guards allegedly unable to proceed due to a "lack of communication" with Russian authorities. "Some Russians were able to cross the border, but the orchestra artists are not among them," the musician said.
The claim creates a starkly different picture from the one painted hours earlier by Russia's culture minister, Olga Lyubimova. In a widely circulated statement, she had declared the orchestra's evacuation a diplomatic success, announcing they had safely crossed into Azerbaijan.
Lyubimova had extended her gratitude to Russian diplomats and the governments of Iran and Azerbaijan for their assistance. As a gesture of thanks, the orchestra was even scheduled to perform a concert in Baku on Monday.
While the orchestra remains in limbo, a separate Russian delegation of scientists and diplomats who were also in Tehran has reportedly managed to leave the country.