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 鈥� but not by Israel firing missiles or the U.S. dropping bombs.
鈥淚ranian people deserve democracy and freedom,鈥� said the 45-year-old doctoral candidate in Detroit. 鈥淏ut real change cannot come through foreign military attacks, missiles and bombs. History has shown that democracy is not delivered by force.鈥�
The fast-changing war between Israel and Iran, in which the U.S. recently inserted itself by targeting Iran鈥檚 nuclear sites, has caused a mix of emotions 鈥� including fear and uncertainty 鈥� among many in the Iranian diaspora in America and also showcased differences of opinion over the country鈥檚 future.
Florida House legislator Anna V. Eskamani, the daughter of Iranian immigrants, stressed that complexity.
鈥淚 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鈥檙e also very concerned about the health and safety of our loved ones and the impact on innocent civilians.鈥�
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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult, because not only are you just worried about what鈥檚 happening with your family, but then you鈥檙e worried about the division within the community here in the United States and around the world,鈥� she said 鈥淪o it's just layer upon layer of complexity.鈥�
Israel launched 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 is peaceful.
After the two nations volleyed strikes for several days, a now appears to be holding. If it does, it will provide a global sense of relief after the 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.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to see everything calm down as quickly as possible,鈥� Trump told reporters on Air Force One. 鈥淩egime change takes chaos, and ideally we don鈥檛 want to see so much chaos.鈥�
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鈥檚 grandfather in Tehran who initially was unable to evacuate before later managing to do so.
鈥淢y mom is a tough woman,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen she calls me and cries, it鈥檚 a big thing, because always I call her and cry,鈥� Pajooh added, her voice breaking with emotion.
Since the ceasefire, 鈥渕y heart is not as heavy as it was,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel I can breathe.鈥�
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.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want you to bring us democracy with your bombs,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our work. We are doing it.鈥�
In California, Sharona Nazarian, the mayor of Beverly Hills and a Jewish immigrant from Iran, forcefully defended Israel鈥檚 decision to attack.
鈥淎 nuclear-armed Iranian regime would pose a grave danger,鈥� she told a city council meeting last week. 鈥淚srael鈥檚 action, though difficult, reflects a preemptive effort to prevent a potential catastrophe.鈥�
She added: 鈥淭rue change in Iran must come from its own people. ... My hope is that they will unite with strength and reclaim their future.鈥�
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 鈥渞egime changed.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just praying that this leads to more freedom and liberation for the people of Iran,鈥� Sumekh said. 鈥淏ut if history has taught us anything, it鈥檚 that in the Middle East, bombs alone are not the way to create lasting peace. This is all messy and confusing and layered.鈥�
Sumekh said that as she drove Monday near what鈥檚 known as Persian Square or 鈥淭ehrangeles,鈥� she was surprised to see some people holding signs calling for the return of monarchy in Iran.
鈥淪ince when is a king democracy?鈥� she said. 鈥淩egardless 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鈥檒l all be fine.鈥�
In Massachusetts, when Elika Dadsetan first saw that the U.S. had struck Iran, she recalled thinking: No one wins in this.
鈥淲e want to make that change. We want to do it internally. We don鈥檛 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,鈥� 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.
鈥淲e are resilient,鈥� Dadsetan said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l get through this, just really, unfortunately, it will be a lot of pain before we do get through this.鈥�
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Associated Press writer Deepa Bharath contributed.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP鈥檚 with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Mariam Fam, The Associated Press
