The recent decision by President Donald Trump to launch strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities has stirred significant emotions within Boston’s Iranian community.
This turmoil is fueled by conflicting views regarding America’s involvement in Israel’s conflicts: some argue the strikes are a necessary step toward toppling the Iranian regime, while others oppose further aggression.
Local responses have been varied, with protests erupting and members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation contesting the legality of the strikes, claiming that the Trump administration acted without proper congressional approval.
In contrast, local Republicans have applauded Trump’s decision, viewing it as a crucial measure to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
In a televised address from the White House, Trump announced the successful destruction of Iran’s key nuclear sites, asserting they were “completely and fully obliterated.”
He subsequently warned Iran against retaliating, emphasizing that the country faces a choice of “peace or tragedy.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned the United States’ actions during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
He claimed the decision to strike was tantamount to “destroying diplomacy,” stating that it would be up to the Iranian military to determine their response.
The potential consequences of the strikes remain uncertain, according to Gary Samore, director at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University and a former official in the Obama administration.
Samore warned that the Iranian government feels compelled to respond, suggesting that even though past retaliations have been restrained, the intensity of escalation is unpredictable.
He added that while U.S. defenses are robust, there is always the possibility of American casualties in any Iranian counterattack, given their extensive arsenal of short-range ballistic missiles.
While Western intelligence officials agree that Iran could rapidly produce highly enriched uranium viable for weaponization, the country’s actual intentions remain ambiguous, Samore indicated.
Supporters of the strikes, such as Shabnam Panahi, a Framingham resident and co-founder of the local Iranian opposition group From Boston to Iran, believe that strong measures are necessary to dismantle the current Iranian regime.
“It was something that was necessary. It had to get done,” said Panahi, 39.
She argues that the Iranian government only responds to force rather than diplomacy and appeasement.
On the other hand, Ali Kadivar, an assistant professor of sociology and international studies at Boston College, expressed concerns regarding the implications of American and Israeli airstrikes.
Originally from Tehran, Kadivar warned that such actions could empower hardliners within Iran’s government and further suppress political dissidents.
“It’s not positive for democratic movements,” Kadivar said emphatically.
“It just narrows down and contracts the even small spaces that existed for movements for human rights and democracy that existed in Iran.”
Public demonstrations materialized rapidly, with around 150 protesters gathering outside Park Station the following day.
Many participants displayed antiwar signs and donned traditional keffiyehs, rallying with chants that called for prioritizing domestic issues over foreign military involvement.
Organizers urged the U.S. to seek a diplomatic resolution regarding Iran’s nuclear program and to investigate the legality of the recent airstrikes, particularly those targeting the Fordo nuclear facility.
Bahar Sharafi, an Iranian American protester at the rally, remarked on her ongoing distress as she worries for the safety of her family back in Iran.
Her mother and sister have gone into hiding near Tehran, and communication has been sporadic due to internet disruptions.
“Every day, I wait for my mom to call me and tell me that she’s okay,” Sharafi revealed.
As protesters marched through Boston, they concluded their gathering at Center Plaza with passionate calls for constituents to voice their opposition to elected officials regarding the strikes.
“The people of Iran do not deserve this,” she declared.
Conversely, Panahi criticized the opposing protests as an affront to those suffering under the regime in Iran.
“It’s like a slap in our face,” she responded, expressing her disdain for solidarity efforts that she believes support a repressive government.
Hannah Didehbani, who served as an emcee at the protest, shared her anxieties for her family in Iran.
Awaiting repercussions from the U.S. military intervention, she and her activist colleagues swiftly organized the rally in response to the strikes.
“This war doesn’t benefit our people, it just hurts people abroad. The money going towards the war is money that’s not going towards building a hospital or school here,” Didehbani stated.
Despite her concerns, Didehbani was encouraged by the rally’s strong turnout and the collective opposition to war among community members.
“I’m hopeful because I see so many people out in the streets, people who don’t want war,” she concluded.
image source from：bostonglobe
