Mixed Emotions as Iran Comes Under Attack
Fatemeh Shams watched anxiously as her homeland came under military attack by the US and Israel over the weekend. Living in the United States since 2009, she is part of the Iranian-American diaspora that has long opposed Iran’s ruling clerical system from abroad. Because of that, she does not mourn the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Saturday’s bombing.
“We have very mixed feelings about what’s happening,” Fatemeh, who lives in Philadelphia, told the BBC. “On one hand, we feel relief that our killers no longer breathe. But the way it happened also reminds us that we never had control over the justice we fought for during 38 years of corruption and crimes.”
Diaspora Reactions Split Across the US
She is far from alone. Across the US, members of the Iranian diaspora expressed sharply divided emotions. While some worried about civilian deaths and the risk of a long, destructive war, others took to the streets to celebrate what they see as the fall of a brutal regime.
From Boston to Washington DC and Los Angeles, crowds gathered to mark Khamenei’s death. On Sunday in Los Angeles — often nicknamed Tehrangeles because it is home to more than a third of the roughly 400,000 Iranian immigrants in the US — police closed streets near a federal building to allow celebrations to continue.
Celebrations in Los Angeles
Demonstrators waved Iranian flags as a plane circled overhead, trailing a banner that read: “THANK U TRUMP.” Among them was Hoda Zeaighamnia, who danced in the street with her three children. One of them was only days old when the family fled Iran.
Her daughter, Donya Cheshmaghil, explained why. “I was born in Iran, but my family was forced to leave because we’re not Muslim. The regime is extremely oppressive toward anyone who isn’t,” she said. “We hope this leads to regime change. We’re grateful the US finally intervened. This is what people inside Iran have been asking for.” Read More
Joy Tempered by Loss
Her sister, Mona Cheshmhehil, said her joy felt complicated. “It’s heartbreaking that so many people lost their lives,” she said. “But we feel overwhelmed by the idea that we might finally return and see where we came from. We never thought this day would come.”
Yet just a day earlier, anger dominated a separate protest outside Los Angeles City Hall. Actress and longtime anti-war activist Jane Fonda, 88, joined hundreds demonstrating against the strikes. “You may wage this war in our name,” she shouted, “but not with our consent.”
Political and Public Divisions Deepen
Similar scenes played out across the country. In Atlanta, Sherry Yadegari told AFP: “We don’t call this a war. We call it the Iran Rescue Operation.” In New York, however, activist Layan Fuleihan strongly disagreed. “Bombing people doesn’t help them free themselves,” she said. “If Trump truly cared about democracy or the Iranian people, he would have lifted the sanctions that have pushed ordinary families into poverty.”
The divisions were also evident in US politics, including among lawmakers of Iranian heritage. Republican congresswoman Stephanie Bice urged Iranians to seize the moment and reclaim their country. Democratic congresswoman Yassamin Ansari voiced concern that the US could enter “another endless war in the Middle East,” while still supporting a free Iran. Back on the streets of Los Angeles, many Iranian-Americans chose to focus on the moment itself. “This is a great day,” said Meraa Tcheshmaghio. “Our country has wanted this for a long time.”
“It’s beautiful. It really is.”
