Philly-area Iranians rally against the regime

About 70 Iranian Americans joined Ukrainians to march from the Philadelphia Museum of Art to City Hall on Sunday. 

The Iranian Americans were overjoyed that an airstrike had killed the Ayatollah Khamenei and that the U.S. and Israel were bombing Iran.  The march had been planned before the bombing began on Saturday to protest the Iranian regime sending drones and other war materiel to Russia to use against Ukraine, but it turned into a celebration, said Maryam a board member of Philly Iranians, who asked that her last name not be used to protect family members who remain in Iran.

Maryam explained that although the Ayatollah and many senior regime members were now dead, others remain in charge of the Islamic Republic, which has a large security apparatus.  More than 30,0000 Iranian protesters – mostly young people – were recently executed by the regime for daring to defy it, prompting President Trump to say he’d send help.

“It’s been an emotional roller,” said Maryam. “Because you know lots of leaders are dead, but other leaders remain. So you don’t know what’s going to happen. We don’t know the outcome, so that’s very, very scary. We are happy.”

“We were just downtown (in Philadelphia) with a lot of other Iranians,” said Maryam. “We were all dancing and celebrating. We want to take this moment to just celebrate the end of 47 years of being under a dictator who has done nothing but to kill the people of Iran, taking hostages, lying, and stealing.”

“So, it’s been a rollercoaster,” she said. “We want the regime gone. But as I was driving [from Chester County] to the city, suddenly I heard the news that […] they want to negotiate again.”

“They have, I think, reached out to the U.S., to Trump, and say they want to negotiate,” said Maryam. “Of course, they’re afraid because they know this is the end. They are vulnerable. I heard Trump said he is going to talk to them. So this is scary. If there’s any negotiation with them, with the government of the Islamic Republic that is killing its own people, that has been lying for all these years, how many times have they negotiated?”

Firouzeh, also with Philly Iranians, came to the demonstration. The Moorestown, N.J. resident concurred that negotiations with the Islamic Iranian regime would not end well. 

“These people who are taking charge are just as evil as Khamenei,” said Firouzeh. “And, they have the same mindset. And they will start massacring our people even more than before.”

Firouzeh knows some people are against the U.S. getting involved and bombing Iran, and that there have been protests for peace.

“The Iranian people are also against war,” she said. “It’s not what any nation wants. But the point I want to emphasize is that these people (the leaders) are evil. If they stay in power, they are going to develop nuclear weapons.

“The Trump administration is looking at the broader picture,” Firouzeh said. “They are looking at the future for the American people. And sometimes, you have to make hard decisions to save your nation, your future generations.”

“If this regime stays in power, they are going to plan bombs against the United States. That’s how powerful they are becoming. We want the American nation to know that. The reason that this has started, it might not be pleasant at this time, and obviously they have every right to be against war — so are we — but sometimes making hard decisions for future generations is necessary.”

“And that’s why President Trump did this,” Firouzeh said. “Otherwise, he’s a man of peace.”

But Firouzeh also has “mixed emotions.”

“We are very happy we got rid of that evil man,” she said. “He has the blood of so many people on his hands. On the other side, we are worried for our family, for our country, and for the other people in our country. We’re still hopeful. We are definitely thankful to President Trump that he actually did eliminate the head of the snake.” 

Linda Stein is a Philadelphia-area journalist.