In the heart of Los Angeles’ Iranian neighborhood, grocery store owner Mr. Mohammad Ghafari grapples with deep concerns about his family back in Iran following recent US airstrikes on the nation’s nuclear facilities.
Standing amidst his shelves filled with dates, dried plums, and pistachios, he holds onto a glimmer of hope for change in his homeland, stating, “Iran is not capable of providing food to the Persian people.”
Having left Iran to pursue his studies abroad before the 1979 revolution, Mr. Ghafari expresses, “If the people (there) were happy about a change of regime, I would be too.”
His sentiments are echoed by Ms. Fereshteh, a long-time customer at his store, who asserts that everyone would rejoice at the prospect of regime change in Iran.
For her, President Donald Trump has become an emblem of hope, recently ordering strikes against Iranian nuclear sites and showing unprecedented support for Israel in its ongoing conflict with Iran.
Though he briefly entertained the idea of promoting “regime change,” he later backed away, cautioning against the chaos such actions might incite.
This dialogue surrounding the ousting of Iran’s clerical leaders resonates strongly within the Los Angeles area, which is home to nearly 200,000 Iranian-Americans.
The community, located primarily in the west end of the city near the University of California, Los Angeles, is often referred to as “Tehrangeles” or “Little Persia,” a vibrant hub filled with Middle Eastern grocery stores, bookstores, and carpet merchants.
This diverse immigrant population includes various minority groups often marginalized in Iran, such as Jews, Christians, and Assyrians.
Amid swirling concerns, Ms. Fereshteh, who escaped Iran during the tumultuous 1980s, calls for the Iranian people to rise up against their government.
She highlights the current weakness of the regime, suggesting that the time is ripe for change.
Opinions vary amongst the Iranian diaspora regarding US involvement in Iranian affairs.
While some individuals like Ms. Mehrnoosh advocate for military intervention, urging, “We should send troops there,” others express caution about foreign military actions, fearing the historical consequences of such moves.
Reflecting on the harsh realities faced by Iranians, she adds, “The regime killed so many Iranians three years ago during the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.”
A distinctly different view comes from a 68-year-old engineer, who chooses to remain anonymous.
He believes that any change in Iran should come from the inside, stating, “Change by force never pays off. Change must come from within, by the people, for the people, and we’re not there yet.”
The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has already led to significant casualties, with over 600 lives lost in Iran and 28 in Israel, as reported by authorities.
Recently, a tenuous ceasefire appeared to be stabilizing, eliciting temporary relief among Iranian expatriates.
The engineer, who had been in communication with family members affected by the conflict, reflected sadly on the war’s toll, recalling losing his grandparents to bombings during the Iran-Iraq War.
“Is it worth it? Absolutely not,” he said, expressing a deep desire for an end to the chaos gripping both his homeland and the region.
image source from：straitstimes
