13 hours ago
Bay Area residents worried for friends, family in Iran following U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities
News of the U.S. becoming directly involved in the Israel-Iran confrontation has some Bay Area residents feeling the distance from their loved ones.
Arman Mahmoudi is from Milpitas, but he's also Iranian.
"Yeah, I have friends, family," Mahmoudi said about the people he knows in Iran. "I'm worried. I'm worried about what's going to go on."
Mahmoudi hasn't been able to speak to his family and friends since President Trump announced that U.S. forces struck three key Iranian nuclear sites.
"Iran's been on a shutdown, three days, the entire country, no internet," Mahmoudi said. "You haven't been able to talk to anyone on any app. Any social media app. Your only choice is a landline, and you don't know if it's safe or what you can say. It has affected the relaying of news."
Mahmoudi is an activist and organizer with Bay Area 4 Iran. The group voices their opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran, one that they believe is shared by many Iranians.
"Giving them the perspective of what the majority of Iranians, anywhere from 75% to 85% are opposed to this government," Mahmoudi said.
But he admits the members of Bay Area 4 Iran are torn about how to view Saturday's airstrikes.
"We have a lot of varying views within our team as far as is this attack good," Mahmoudi said. "I will say if it leads us to getting closer to getting rid of the Islamic regime and lessening the chance of execution, freeing our political prisoners, giving us freedoms that the people of Iran are seeking then probably it's a good step."
When Mr. Trump addressed the nation about the airstrikes, he said that either peace or tragedy is next unless Iran immediately ceases hostilities. Mahmoudi said that through all of this, he just hopes the Iranian people will be safe.
"Our emphasis is innocent civilian lives," said Mahmoudi. "Innocent civilian lives on either side, that's what we don't want to see, the innocent civilian lives lost.
But personally, he does want to see a change in Iranian leadership.
"Iran needs a secular democracy so our people can have everyday freedoms that we are seeing in advanced countries in the free world," Mahmoudi said.
Bay Area 4 Iran will be holding a rally to stand with the Iranian people in their fight against the Islamic Republic. It will be at noon on Sunday at Harry Bridges Plaza.
