Hundreds of demonstrators from Los Angeles’s Iranian-American community took the streets Saturday to celebrate the US-Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader.
“I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to dance. I want to laugh — but above all, I just want to celebrate,” said LA resident Shervin Khorramian, 55, waving an Iranian flag as he joined the elated crowd outside of the Wilshire Federal building in Westwood.
“I feel absolutely elated, and I feel hopeful,” Khorramian added. “For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful that this really could be the turning point for Iran.”
Saturday morning’s unprecedented joint military attack in Iran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and 10 high-ranking leaders in his fortified compound, as well over 40 top Iranian security and regime figures, Israeli officials said.
Demonstrators in LA — home to the largest Iranian community in the US and affectionately known as “Tehrangeles” — marched outside the federal building waving American, Iranian and Israeli flags and holding posters thanking President Trump.
Shekoofeh, who declined to give her last name out of fear for her family still living in Iran, said it all felt like a dream.
“I can’t believe it,” she said, adding that she has been protesting in the US against the Iranian regime since 2006.
“We’re here for freedom, for Iran. Thank you, Mr. Trump — Mr. President — and Mr. Bibi Netanyahu.”
Arash Behtahj, who still has family in the country, said he can “finally” see freedom coming to Iran after 47 years. “We need to celebrate together,” he said.
He and Khorramian wished Khamenei had met the same fate as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and “saw justice” here in America.
“I had told my friends, even if we reduce his life by one day, that is good enough for me,” Khorramian said. “I wanted him to be kidnapped the way Maduro was and brought to justice here.”
“But this was good enough for me — that he’s dead,” he added.
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