“Emotionally Devastating”: Iranians In US Describe Fear, Call For Action As Regime Crackdown Kills Protesters

Recent protests in Iran have produced the deadliest unrest the country has seen since the 1979 revolution, prompting intense concern among Iranians living in the United States. Many say they now live with constant anxiety and helplessness as internet blackouts sever contact with loved ones at home. The Guardian asked members of the diaspora to describe their feelings about the unfolding crisis and whether the US and international community should intervene.

Voices From the Diaspora

Mahnaz, 36 wrote:

"No one should have to wake up every day wondering whether their loved ones have been executed, imprisoned, or killed in the streets simply for demanding dignity and freedom. The scale of these atrocities demands more than statements of concern."

Fereshteh, 45, a laboratory scientist, described recent weeks as "emotionally devastating." They said that even from abroad the fear never subsides: "Many days I wake up terrified to check my phone, afraid of seeing bad news or learning that someone I love has been arrested, injured, or killed." Fereshteh added that many Iranians they speak with "believe that peaceful protests alone are no longer enough."

"The regime has shown that it will respond only with bullets, prisons, and executions," Fereshteh continued. "In this situation, international military intervention may be the only realistic way to stop the killing and dismantle this system of repression. If intervention can end this dictatorship and give people a chance to live freely, many of us believe it is a price worth paying."

Ellie, 33, said she feels "an intense sense of survivor's guilt" and is "emotionally paralyzed and often speechless" by reports from Iran. "A regime that suppresses its own people through violence, fear, and isolation does not remain a local problem," she said. "It destabilizes regions, fuels extremism, drives forced migration, and normalizes brutality. Ignoring this does not create peace — it postpones a larger crisis."

Many respondents said they believe some form of international action is necessary.

Luna Houshmand, a software engineer in her 30s, argued: "Words and sanctions have failed for decades. If they worked, this regime would not still be killing people in the streets. If the world truly believes in human rights, it must move beyond statements and take real action."

An unnamed woman in New York relayed what her family in Iran told her: people feel "desperate and helpless, and their only hope is foreign assistance." She added, "President Trump promised the people of Iran that he would come to save them, and the people have counted on that promise. Our only concern right now is that he may not follow through."

Maryam Tehrani in Seattle said Iranians need "not empty statements, but meaningful pressure on the Islamic Republic," recommending "sanctions targeting officials, international isolation, and real accountability." She acknowledged that military intervention is "complicated and risky," but argued that indifference is not an option and that priority should be protecting civilians and supporting Iranians' right to decide their own future without repression.

Sahar Haddadian, a civil engineer in Florida, emphasized that "no one wants war" or to see innocent lives lost, but warned that some regimes leave the world with only hard choices. "You cannot negotiate with a regime that rules through terror," Haddadian said. "Dialogue, appeasement, and empty diplomacy have failed. The US must make it clear it stands with the Iranian people — that means real consequences for regime leaders, full isolation of those responsible for crimes against humanity, and unwavering support for civilians demanding freedom."

Ellie, 42, in Colorado, said she is "strongly against war," but believes the situation "has reached a point where people are being killed for demanding basic rights." She called for international intervention of any kind — political, diplomatic, economic, or strategic pressure — short of war, and welcomed meaningful, non‑military measures from world leaders to help end the repression.

An anonymous Iranian in California described a long-standing opposition to foreign military intervention and distrust of US intentions, but said the current mass bloodshed has created "impossible moral contradictions."

Tara, 36, an engineer, said she is "deeply conflicted" and warned that any intervention could lead to more death and devastation. "At the same time, I see no clear alternative for ending the Islamic regime's grip on power," she said. "I wish there were a way to remove those responsible without harming ordinary people or destroying our country. I'm worried this could turn into a never-ending war."

Common Themes

Across the responses, several themes recur: acute emotional distress and survivor's guilt among those in the diaspora; alarm about the regime's violent response to peaceful protests; frustration that sanctions and rhetoric have not halted killings; calls for accountability and targeted pressure on Tehran; and deep unease about the potential human cost and regional consequences of foreign military intervention.

The debate within the diaspora reflects broader international tensions: how to stop immediate bloodshed, hold perpetrators accountable, and support Iranians' rights — while avoiding steps that could further harm civilians or destabilize the region.