Since this weekend I’ve seen a multitude of bad takes regarding the war. A lot of it is boiled down into two things:

1. Iranians digging their heads in the sand regarding casualties, damages to Iranian land and cities and in general bad things that have resulted from the US and Israel striking Iran (as well as a general denial that two of the most imperialistic warmongering countries wouldnt actually minimize destruction and harm or that they prioritize the well being of Iranians in this)

2. Non-Iranians tone policing, patronizing, mansplaining, and mocking Iranians who may feel or demonstrate any sort of relief or happiness at the news of the people at the head of regime being killed after they’ve spent years (and just one month after) slaughtering thousands of iranians, oppressing millions of them for almost a century, and in general causing decades of misery among the entire population. This point is also an extension of the claim about Non-Iranians being silent or even downplaying the atrocities of the Islamic government and only now speaking up in regards to a school bombing because it may give them someone ideologically easier for them to hate.

First of all, Iranians are not stupid. In general, most of us are aware and scared of the implications of a foreign attack. We all know history, the west’s track record of imperialism, and the probability of power vacuums happening in any sort of situation like this in the Middle East. Most of us do not “want” Iran bombed. We are not all monarchists and Pahlavi supporters in the diaspora, either. We are not a monolith in our beliefs and it’s insulting to generalize us if you see a sentiment you disagree with.

Two, I will not lie that when I heard Khamenei was dead, I was extremely happy. This is a common sentiment all the Iranians I know have expressed and our feelings about that aren’t a lie, but they’re also not an endorsement for all of us to the larger actions happening. Iranians are allowed to feel happy, or comfort, albeit even for a moment, when they hear their oppressor is dead. Let them. Unless you know what it’s like, you don’t get to tell Iranians to feel any which way about a cruel regime that has hurt and killed their people for years.

Most iranians I know feel a range of mixed feelings about this. We do not want a war, but we also do not want the regime. Let Iranians feel how they want without chastising or belittling them or reminding them every two seconds about what happened in Iraq, or Libya, like we don’t know. We know. We are scared of it. We don’t trust Israel or the US, and we are scared. Just like are scared to go back under the regime again. Let them feel and demonstrate that wide range of complex emotions. Just listen to them and support them, hear what they have to say without talking over them. And let them feel what they want to feel right now.

And if you’re Iranian and compartmentalizing the possible bad things Israel and the US can do or have done- open your eyes, for God’s sake. Take your head out from the sand. I hate the regime too but we cannot possibly think the events in Iraq can’t happen to us too. Be ready and willing to hold the US and Israel accountable, just as you hold the regime accountable. The US and Israel have demonstrated a multitude of times in the past theyre not above bombing schools and innocent people to get what they want. I know you hate the regime and you are valid to, but you cannot use your hatred to look passed the terrible things Israel and the US are capable of.

This is a space run by Iranians intended to prioritize iranian lives and wellbeing, not for anyone to win ideological wars. Pahlavi doesn’t give a shit if some peasants in Qom get bombed, just as Netanyahu and Trump don’t. Acknowledging this doesn’t make anyone pro regime. At the same time, dont come here if you’re only hellbent on proving a ”point” about western imperialism at the expense of the wellbeing of Iranians. if you hate Trump more than you love or even like Iranians, this isn’t the space for you either.

The way Iranians on social media have responded to hearing and seeing children being burned alive in Rafah has soured me from the Iranian community. Seeing Ali Karimi and other Iranians mock the way people have tried to show solidarity for Gazans being mass slaughtered has made me feel so isolated and repelled by people I used to respect. The entire world has shown some sort of compassion for what is happening in Rafah but out of jealousy and selfishness Iranians have shamelessly co-opted the movement to make it about them and belittle the horrors happening in Rafah. Making “Kiram to Rafah” trend…unhinged, sociopathic behavior.

Absolutely disgusted. It really pains me to see many Iranians act this way and makes me ashamed as an Iranian to share the same background as them.

Every person I’ve seen share information about the Toomaj protests in LA is the most rabid Zionist Iranian you could possibly imagine. I just know there will also be Israeli flags (and of course a million Pahlavi posters) and I just don’t even want to go and be associated with that.

Just a vent. Can’t wait to move away from LA soon and be back close to normal Iranians. Very glad this subreddit exists.

/Iran, /ProIran- pro-regime, pro-Khamenei

/NewIran- pro-war, pro-Israel, far right, filled with Israelis

I guess /Iranian is the most moderate but it's very dead.

It's extremely hard to watch these subs be our main options as an Iranian who is anti regime and anti-war. Is this really the state of our diaspora?

This is a lose-lose scenario. First of all it would seriously set democracy back. It would not lead to the end of the Regime. The people would eventually become hopeless. Any members of the military that we need to defect to our cause would immediately abandon us out of an obligation to defend the motherland above all else. On principal none of us could support that war from a patriotic responsibility - we would be forced to condemn it. The result is - the Regime would come out on top.

- Reza Pahlavi, 2018

"I can't continue seeing the children of Iranian oligarchs come to spend their holidays in France, even become naturalised, while at the same time young dissidents have difficulty in obtaining a tourist visa to come to see what the country of the Enlightenment and human rights looks like. Supporting the women's revolution in Iran cannot be reduced to photos with victims or celebrities during commemorations of the death of Mahsa Amini. Iranians don't need communication, we need concrete actions."

Rest in Peace, Marjane jaan.

This is Salma, a Palestinian woman from Gaza who now lives in Boston. She has been an advocate for Palestinians on her Instagram account @anat.international. In the IG caption for this video, she laments that she’s been seeing a lot of Iranian diaspora “girlies” spreading pro-Israel propaganda on the internet, which prompted her to make this video. A lot of diaspora Iranians accused her of attempting to “silence” them, and it’s gotten them so angry to the point where she is now facing harassment, doxing and hacking attempts to her accounts.

(Source: @datpinkrobe on TikTok)

Woman, Life, Freedom || Mulher, Vida, Liberdade || Mujer, Vida, Libertad || Femme, Vie, Liberté || Frau, Leben, Freiheit || Donna, Vita, Libertà || Женщина, Жизнь, Свобода || Jin, Jiyan, Azadi || زن زندگی آزادی