Hundreds of Iranian-Americans gathered in Los Angeles on Saturday to express their support for recent attacks targeting Iran’s ruling regime, a week after a US-Israeli airstrike reportedly killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Demonstrators said the moment could mark a turning point for the Iranian people and a chance to end the Islamic Republic’s grip on power.
Rally calls for democracy in Iran
Protesters assembled near the federal building in Westwood, chanting slogans demanding the return of democracy to Tehran. Many waved Iranian flags and shared stories of exile, saying their families fled the country after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.Several demonstrators rejected the idea that the current military strikes amount to a war, instead describing the situation as an opportunity to dismantle the ruling regime.“It’s not a war. It’s a rescue mission,” one protester was quoted as saying by the New York Post, echoing a sentiment shared by several people at the rally.
Some protesters praise Trump, Netanyahu
A number of participants expressed support for US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they believe the actions taken against Iran’s leadership could help free the country from authoritarian rule.Mars, who was born in Shiraz and still has relatives in Iran, told reporters many Iranians see Trump as a “hero.”“He will be remembered by Iranians the way Jewish people remember Cyrus the Great,” he said, referring to the ancient Persian ruler known for freeing the Jews from Babylonian captivity.Another demonstrator, Shahrokh, who was born in Tehran and still has family there, said he was grateful for the actions taken by the US and Israel.“We are very grateful,” he said.
Criticism of US Democrats
Some protesters also criticised Democratic leaders in the US 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 regime.“Try living in Iran. Try going to Iran,” she said in response to comments opposing regime change.Others at the rally argued that politicians who oppose intervention cannot claim to advocate for human rights if they ignore conditions in Iran.
Stories of exile and life under the regime
Many protesters said their families left Iran decades ago but still feel deeply connected to the country’s future. Amin, who was born in Tehran and whose parents still live there, said the demonstrations reflect hope for change.“They stole our country 47 years ago,” he said. “We had to move to the US as refugees.”Benjamin Basre, a Jewish Iranian immigrant whose relatives still live in Iran, described growing up under the regime as frightening.“How do I describe the environment in Iran? It’s exactly like the Nazi regime,” he said, recalling how his grandmother once worried about whether neighbours would hide them if authorities targeted their family.
Community says voices often ignored
Some participants said they feel overlooked by US politicians despite the large Iranian-American population in Southern California.Basre said many in the community want their perspectives heard when American leaders debate policy toward Iran.“Over 700,000 Iranians live in Southern California alone,” he said. “They didn’t bother to ask how we feel.”For many at the rally, the gathering was not just about politics but about expressing hope that change could eventually come to Iran.
