Hundreds of Iranian-Americans gathered in Los Angeles on Saturday to express their support for recent attacks against Iran’s ruling regime, a week after U.S. and Israeli air strikes reportedly killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Demonstrators say the moment could mark a turning point for the Iranian people and an opportunity to end the Islamic Republic’s grip on power.
Rally calls for democracy in Iran
Protesters gathered near the federal building in Westwood, chanting slogans demanding a return to democracy in Tehran. Many waved Iranian flags and shared stories of exile, saying their families fled the country after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.Some demonstrators reject the idea that the current military strike amounts to war, instead describing the situation as an opportunity to disrupt the ruling regime.“This is not a war. This is a rescue mission,” one protester was quoted as saying by the New York Post, echoing a sentiment shared by several at the rally.
Some protesters praise Trump, Netanyahu
Many attendees expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they believed action against Iran’s leadership could help liberate the country from a dictatorship.Mars, who was born in Shiraz and still has relatives in Iran, told reporters that many Iranians view Trump as a “hero.”“Iranians will remember him as the Jews remember Cyrus the Great,” he said, referring to the ancient Persian ruler famous for freeing the Jews from Babylonian captivity.Another demonstrator, Sharokh, who was born in Tehran and still has family there, said he was grateful for the actions taken by the United States and Israel.“We’re very grateful,” he said.
Criticism of the Democratic Party of the United States
Some protesters also criticized U.S. Democratic leaders for opposing regime change in Iran. Nazanin Jalalian, who now lives in Los Angeles with her mother after leaving Iran, urged American politicians to better understand the realities of life under the Iranian regime.“Try living in Iran. Try going to Iran,” she said in response to comments opposing regime change.Others at the rally argued that anti-intervention politicians cannot claim to advocate for human rights if they ignore conditions in Iran.
Stories of exile and life under the regime
Many protesters say their families left Iran decades ago but remain deeply connected to the country’s future. Amin, who was born in Tehran and whose parents still live there, said the demonstrations reflected hope for change.“They stole our country 47 years ago,” he said. “We had to move to the United States as refugees.”Benjamin Basre, a Jewish Iranian immigrant whose relatives still live in Iran, describes the experience of growing up under the Iranian regime as terrifying.“How should I describe the environment in Iran? It’s like the Nazi regime,” he said, recalling how his grandmother once worried whether neighbors would hide their family if authorities targeted them.
Communities say voices are often ignored
Some participants said they felt ignored by U.S. politicians despite the large Iranian-American population in Southern California.As U.S. leaders debate policy toward Iran, many in the community want their perspectives heard, Basrei said.“There are over 700,000 Iranians in Southern California alone,” he said. “They didn’t bother to ask us how we felt.”For many who attended the rally, the gathering was as much about politics as it was about expressing hope that Iran can finally achieve change.
