Iranian community in Los Angeles reacts to US strikes on nuclear sites

WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The news of U.S. air strikes on Iran is weighing on many people back home in the Los Angeles area.

L.A. is home to the largest Persian population outside of Iran. Eyewitness News talked to some people in Westwood about how they're feeling.

In between bites of bastani, opinions about the escalating attacks in Iran seemed to roll off the tongue in Persian Square.

"What the state did today is pro-Iranian people, but against the Ayatollah, which is great for us, we are very happy what happened today," said Sean Mandi.

A number of people who spoke to Eyewitness News are in favor of the U.S. bombing the Iranian nuclear sites because they believe it hurts the government in Iran, but not the people.

"I'm thankful about that, President Trump, but at the same time, we Iranian people inside of here, inside the states and outside, we were expecting a regime change, we were expecting United States and Israel to help us to get rid of this dictator regime," said Maryam Rahbari.

Roozbeh Farahanipour knows a little something about attempting to overthrow the Iranian Islamic government. He tried it 26 years ago.

"I was a leader of the opposition groups inside Iran. I manage and organize the people on the street, 100,000 people on the street, tried to overthrow the regime. We didn't bomb the country. We didn't destroy the country. We didn't invade another country. We didn't violate international law," said Farahanipour, the director of the Westwood Chamber of Commerce.

He said he doesn't think the U.S. needs to be involved in a conflict between Iran and Israel.

"I don't know why the U.S. should drag themselves in the war between two other countries, and spend the taxpayers' money over there," Farahanipour said.

Others are questioning the need for U.S. involvement, even if Iran was close to nuclear capabilities.

"It's just not just about just going in and bombing whatever country you want to because they might have a weapon," said Armin Abdollahzadeh

But mostly, the people who spoke to Eyewitness News said they're worried about family and friends in Iran.

"For the past four days, there's no internet. I couldn't even directly call my parents from like cellphone to cellphone, but last night, only one of my cousins could get some sort of access. She texted me, 'Don't worry. We're fine. Everything is OK,'" Rahbari said.

"My main concern is my local community, Westwood. I love Westwood, L.A. I try to make L.A. and Westwood a better place, but at the same time, my heart goes with the people on the other side of the globe," Farahanipour said.

Eyewitness News couldn't find anyone who got in touch with family in Iran since the U.S. strikes, partially because of the internet issues there, but also because the attack happened in the middle of the night there.