ANDREW LIMBONG, HOST:
We just heard from Iranian American poet Kaveh Akbar, about what he's feeling in Iowa about the news of the bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran. We report now from Los Angeles, which has one of the largest Persian populations outside of Iran. Steve Futterman spoke with Iranian Americans in LA today, wrestling with complicated emotions.
STEVE FUTTERMAN, BYLINE: This part of west Los Angeles is the hub of LA's Iranian population, estimated to be 600,000 people. Some have named it Little Persia. Others call it Tehrangeles (ph), a combination of Tehran and Los Angeles.
ARASH H: You have bookstores. You have, you know, Persian shops. You have restaurants. I mean, you know, this is where people kind of just kind of come together.
FUTTERMAN: On this Sunday, lots of people came together for breakfast at the Pink Orchid Bakery and Cafe, including Arash H. He doesn't want to give his last name because he fears for relatives still in Iran. He was up pretty much all night as the story developed.
H: So we're following it, we're following it, following the news. Absolutely. Friends were texting each other back and forth, you know, thinking, is this real? Is this happening?
FUTTERMAN: All the people we spoke to oppose the current Iranian government, but they had differing views about the U.S. involvement. Reza B. owns a Persian market. He, too, didn't want to give his last name. He is elated.
REZA B: Very good. Very - I'm very happy. I'm very happy for the - my country. I'm so sorry for damage, but I'm happy for future.
FUTTERMAN: You think this is going to work?
B: Yes. I think - I'm very optimist for future.
FUTTERMAN: But just a few stores down the street, a much different view.
ROOZBEH FARAHANIPOUR: I don't have anything in common with the regime. I don't like them. I hate them, but this is not the right way to do that.
FUTTERMAN: Roozbeh Farahanipour owns a Greek restaurant. Inside, Farsi lessons were being given to young children. He came to the U.S. in the late '90s. He says he was on an execution list when he left Iran. He does not think U.S. involvement will help.
FARAHANIPOUR: I don't like any war. And second, in general, I don't like to see anyone get killed. And I don't think the war is an answer. If the people can overthrow the regime, they can do that.
FUTTERMAN: Many of the people interviewed are part of families who came to the U.S. in the late 1970s and early '80s, shortly after Iran became an Islamic republic. Since the Israeli strikes intensified earlier this month and especially during the last 24 hours, they have had great difficulty reaching friends and relatives who live in Iran. Adi Bahrami is a researcher at UCLA. He came to the U.S. three years ago.
ADI BAHRAMI: I think most of us, we are happy that these leaders are being - you know, are taking - getting down, but at the same time, we don't want chaos in the country. So it's like, we are happy, and at the same time, we are also, like, a bit worried about what's going to happen afterwards.
FUTTERMAN: For some Iranian Americans, the big concern is the possibility of a long, drawn out conflict. Jonathan Rad does not want to repeat of U.S. involvement in Iraq.
JONATHAN RAD: Like, we don't want Iraq 2.0. We don't want to bring in American troops. Best case scenario, the Ayatollah's out. You know, that could lead to total peace. It could.
FUTTERMAN: And that's another thing everyone we spoke to agreed with. They would like to see Iran's leader, the Ayatollah, removed from power. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.
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