In US, the Iranian diaspora contends with the Israel-Iran war and a fragile ceasefire

Born and raised in Iran, Fariba Pajooh, was detained in her country before coming to the United States. She wants to see changes in her homeland — but not by Israel firing missiles or the U.S. dropping bombs.

“Iranian people deserve democracy and freedom,” said the 45-year-old doctoral candidate in Detroit. “But real change cannot come through foreign military attacks, missiles and bombs. History has shown that democracy is not delivered by force.”

The fast-changing war between Israel and Iran, in which the U.S. recently inserted itself by targeting Iran’s nuclear sites, has caused a mix of emotions — including fear and uncertainty — among many in the Iranian diaspora in America and also showcased differences of opinion over the country’s future.

Florida House legislator Anna V. Eskamani, the daughter of Iranian immigrants, stressed that complexity.

“I think most of the diaspora is united in wanting to see a different government in Iran and wanting to see a democracy in Iran, but I think we’re also very concerned about the health and safety of our loved ones and the impact on innocent civilians.”

Diaspora divided on approach to change in Iran

Some, like Eskamani, support diplomacy rather than war; others, she said, hope military action can lead to an overthrow of the Iranian government.

“It’s very difficult, because not only are you just worried about what’s happening with your family, but then you’re worried about the division within the community here in the United States and around the world,” she said “So it’s just layer upon layer of complexity.”

Israel launched a surprise barrage of attacks on sites in Iran on June 13, saying it could not let Tehran develop atomic weapons and feared it was close to doing so. Iran has long maintained that its program is peaceful.

After the two nations volleyed strikes for several days, a fragile ceasefire now appears to be holding. If it does, it will provide a global sense of relief after the U.S. intervened by dropping bunker-buster bombs on nuclear sites over the weekend.

President Donald Trump said he was not seeking regime change in Iran, two days after first appearing to float the idea.

“I’d like to see everything calm down as quickly as possible,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One. “Regime change takes chaos, and ideally we don’t want to see so much chaos.”

Fearing for family in Iran

It has been an intense period, especially for those with relatives in Iran. Pajooh said she and her mother were worried about Pajooh’s grandfather in Tehran who initially was unable to evacuate before later managing to do so.

“My mom is a tough woman,” she said. “When she calls me and cries, it’s a big thing, because always I call her and cry,” Pajooh added, her voice breaking with emotion.

Since the ceasefire, “my heart is not as heavy as it was,” she said. “I feel I can breathe.”

Pajooh, who worked as a journalist in Iran, said she was arrested and held there twice. Still, she said, any changes in the country should be the decision of the Iranian people there.

“We don’t want you to bring us democracy with your bombs,” she said. “It’s our work. We are doing it.”

In California, Sharona Nazarian, the mayor of Beverly Hills and a Jewish immigrant from Iran, forcefully defended Israel’s decision to attack.

“A nuclear-armed Iranian regime would pose a grave danger,” she told a city council meeting last week. “Israel’s action, though difficult, reflects a preemptive effort to prevent a potential catastrophe.”

She added: “True change in Iran must come from its own people. … My hope is that they will unite with strength and reclaim their future.”

Intellectually torn and emotionally messy

Rachel Sumekh grew up in Los Angeles and is Jewish. Her parents are Iranian; she has extended family in Iran and closer relatives in Israel. She knows many people of Iranian descent in the U.S. are supportive of the war because they want the “regime changed.”

“I’m just praying that this leads to more freedom and liberation for the people of Iran,” Sumekh said. “But if history has taught us anything, it’s that in the Middle East, bombs alone are not the way to create lasting peace. This is all messy and confusing and layered.”

Sumekh said that as she drove Monday near what’s known as Persian Square or “Tehrangeles,” she was surprised to see some people holding signs calling for the return of monarchy in Iran.

“Since when is a king democracy?” she said. “Regardless of what religion we belonged to, we all left Iran for a reason. Many people are upset in this moment and feel like if Iran goes back to the moment they left it, it’ll all be fine.”

In Massachusetts, when Elika Dadsetan first saw that the U.S. had struck Iran, she recalled thinking: No one wins in this.

“We want to make that change. We want to do it internally. We don’t want to have it be forced upon us and especially not from a place like Israel or the U.S., and not like this, not through bombing,” she said.

For about a week she has been having trouble getting updates from some relatives in Iran, as she grapples with grief, rage and heartbreak.

“We are resilient,” Dadsetan said. “We’ll get through this, just really, unfortunately, it will be a lot of pain before we do get through this.”

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Associated Press writer Deepa Bharath contributed.

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