You could have easily missed it driving by the Hall of Justice in downtown San Diego Tuesday afternoon. A relatively small gathering of protesters holding signs, but no chanting.
This demonstration was solemn, made up primarily of San Diegans of Iranian descent. They protested the Iranian regime, but said they were also deeply concerned about the actions of the Trump administration in Iran.
Their initial hope Trump could help those who want democracy for Iran had turned into bewilderment.
“It’s been over a month that he’s been escalating the attacks, the forces and everything, and that leaves us with the confusion of, 'what did he say and what is he doing now and why is he doing this?'” said Mona Memarian, who came to the United States when she was 18 to get an education.
The demonstration featured dozens of signs — messages out of the heart of Iran. There were pictures of people who’ve been jailed or executed for protesting the Iranian regime, and words of condemnation against the Iranian regime.
Shahram Homayounfar, who also came to the U.S. years ago for an education, said the way the U.S. has handled Iran over the years, up to today, has been misguided.
“Right now, the regime is using the occasion, basically attacking all the neighboring countries because they are saying that U.S. forces are there. But if you would have changed the scenario and paradigm to Iranian versus the Iranian regime, that would have been much better,” Homayounfar said.
Now, at this moment of turmoil, Memarian had a message for the American and Israeli governments, and in the future, for any other countries that would seek to get involved in Iran.
She said help for the Iranian resistance would be welcomed, but, “Leave our country alone. Please leave it alone. Let us do whatever we know to do and we’ve been deprived of having our own country and run it ourselves for centuries.
She continued, “We are capable of doing what we are supposed to do, so leave us alone. Get out, get out.”
