Iranian-Americans celebrate in the streets of LA

Hundreds of Iranian-Americans gathered in Los Angeles on Saturday to voice support for an attack on Iran’s ruling regime a week after a US-Israeli airstrike killed a top leader.

Protesters gathered near a government building in Westwood on Saturday, chanting for the return of democracy to the ruling Tehran.

Many praised former President Donald Trump and called this moment a long-awaited change for the Iranian people.

Waving flags and sharing stories of deportation, protesters say the conflict is not a war but an opportunity to destabilize the Islamic Republic.

Mars, who was born in Shiraz in south-central Iran and still has family in the country, told The Post that many Iranians see Trump as “a hero.”

He said: “He will be remembered by the Iranian people in the same way that the Jews remember Cyrus the Great, who freed the Jews and led them to practice any religion they wanted.

Many have rejected the idea that the current strikes are a war – and have taken to Democratic politicians to face opposition to military intervention.

Nazanin Jalalian, who was born in Iran and now lives in Los Angeles with her mother, urged American politicians like former Vice President Kamala Harris to try to better understand life under the regime.

“Try to stay in Iran. Try to go to Iran,” Jalalian said in response to Harris’ comment that he was against regime change.

He also criticized Democrats who hold similar positions.

“If they don’t support regime change, they can’t talk about human rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, or anything,” Jalalian said.

Shahrokh, who was born in Tehran and still has a sister who lives there, said he was “very grateful” to Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Responding to the criticism of Harris and other Democrats, he said they fail to understand the truth on the ground.

“They don’t think about the people of Iran. They don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “Talk to them and ask them – where were you when the Iranian regime killed 50,000 innocent people in just two days?”

Mimi Israel, an American citizen born in the Philippines who attended the rally in support of Israelis and Iranians

Many protesters say their families fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and are still dealing with its consequences.

Amin, who was born in Tehran and whose parents still live there, said the demonstrations represent hope for the future.

“They stole our country 47 years ago,” he said. “We had to move to the US as refugees.”

He described the current situation as a fight against terrorism rather than a war.

“I think everyone should support what is happening in Iran right now because it is not a war,” Amin said. “It’s saving humanity. It’s a war against terrorists in Iran.”

Benjamin Basre, an Iranian Jewish immigrant born in Tehran to cousins ​​who still live in Iran, shared emotional memories of growing up under the regime.

“How do I describe the environment in Iran?” he said. “It’s exactly like the Nazi regime.”

Basre remembered a childhood conversation with him.

“When I was a child playing, my grandmother asked a neighbor, ‘If the Islamic State tries to follow us, can you hide us?'” he said.

“The neighbor said, ‘Don’t say that again, that won’t happen, because I would die to protect you.’ That is the Iranian heart. That’s the unity you see here every day.”

Basre said many Iranians feel neglected by American politicians.

“I was a mainstream Democrat,” he said. “As a gay, legal immigrant to this country, I am a citizen who is proud of the nationality – but not connected to the truth.”

“It’s not a war. It’s a rescue mission,” he added. “They didn’t even bother to show up. Over 700,000 Iranians live in Southern California alone. They didn’t bother to ask how we felt.”

Basre said that the leaders who oppose the strikes must come and talk to the public directly.

“Those politicians? I just want to tell them – come out, talk to us,” he said. “Get in touch with the truth.”

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