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Iranian American Community Hosts Freedom Rally
The Iranian American Society of Tampa Bay holds rally in downtown Tampa. Fox 13's Blake Devine reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Dozens of Iranian Americans rallied in downtown Tampa on Saturday, voicing support for the war and calling for regime change in Iran.
What we know:
The demonstration, organized by the Iranian American Society of Tampa Bay, unfolded just outside Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
A food and wine festival nearby drew a very different kind of crowd.
Flags from both countries waved above the rally, as chants for change echoed across the park.
For some, the message was deeply personal. Hamid Ashtari, a rally goer, said the government in Iran does not reflect the will of its people.
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"The regime in Iran is not representative of the Iranian people at all," he said.
Others framed the conflict as necessary, even at a cost felt at home. Amir Ardebily, another rally goer, said he believes the war is worth the economic strain.
What they're saying:
"It’s the right thing that we’re doing. Gas prices, that’s a very small price to pay to be able to have a secure future and a safe future," he said.
As the war enters its seventh week, some at the rally said they oppose a ceasefire, fearing it could leave those still in Iran vulnerable.
Mondana Behjati, a rally goer, said the prospect of the conflict ending without broader change is what concerns her most.
"Our biggest fear is that the war ends, and we still have to deal with the Islamic Revolution, the Islamic Republic," she said.
Big picture view:
Ardebily, who said he has loved ones still in Iran, echoed that concern. He said a U.S. withdrawal could have devastating consequences.
"I don’t think the United States is going to leave. But if we were to leave, it would be a disaster. Because this regime has not changed," he said.
He described the government as something deeply entrenched, difficult to dismantle piece by piece.
"The Iranian regime is like a bad layer of onion. You take one layer, there’s another layer, and you have to completely get rid of them," he said.
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Some rally goers are looking ahead to what could come next. Ashtari pointed to Reza Pahlavi as a figure he believes could help lead Iran toward democracy.
"He has spent all of his life saying the exact same thing that he wants democracy for Iran," Ashtari said.
Beyond Tampa, global leaders are urging a different path. Pope Leo XIV has spoken out against the war, calling on both sides to pursue peace as the conflict continues.
The Source: Information for this story came from statements from the Iranian American Society of Tampa Bay, interviews with several Iranian-Americans and previous reporting on FOX 13.