Mixed emotions in Arizona after U.S. military strikes in Iran
U.S. military strikes in Iran elicit mixed reactions from Iranians in Arizona, highlighting divisions over the potential for political change amidst personal losses
PHOENIX — U.S. military strikes in Iran are stirring a mix of anger and optimism among Iranians and Iranian Americans in Arizona, exposing deep divisions over the action and its potential consequences.
Opponents of the strikes gathered in the Valley on Saturday, chanting “No more war” and criticizing what they see as unnecessary U.S. involvement abroad.
“There’s no reason why there should be imperialist wars around the world, just because the U.S. wants oil, whatever resources, or money,” one protester said.
Others, particularly those with family ties in Iran, described a very different reaction.
Dr. Khalil Khan, an Arizona resident who has lived in the United States for 45 years, said he was able to briefly speak with his sister and other relatives in Iran after the strikes. He described their reaction as joyful.
“Today that I have spoken to, barely I could speak with my family members, they came out with joy. It means they will come back,” Khan said.
Khan said his relatives believe the strikes could create an opportunity for political change in Iran. Still, he emphasized that any lasting change must come from within.
“They know very effectively that the Iranian regime can be toppled only by Iranian force, not the boots on the ground,” he said.
Khan said several of his family members and friends in Iran have been killed while attempting to promote freedom. He said his family’s losses make the issue deeply personal.
“My family was very small, but even in my family, there were eleven killed by this government,” he said. “It means the story hit right on the house.”
While he hopes for regime change, Khan said he does not believe Iranians want continued rule by hard-line religious leaders.
“Iranians really don’t want that,” he said. “Iranians are capable of changing this brutal government.”
Khan added that many other Iranian American families in Arizona share similar stories, including those with relatives who are political prisoners in Iran.
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