Share and Follow
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — On Saturday, the Iranian community from the Tampa Bay area gathered at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park to commemorate recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran following the demise of the country’s supreme leader.
Attendees considered the leader’s passing as a potential turning point, marking the decline of Iran’s Islamic regime and heralding a new era for the nation. The atmosphere was festive, with many participants waving flags and dancing, expressing their appreciation for the contributions of the United States and Israel.
“This could be the greatest event ever. By helping Iran regain its greatness, America also shines,” remarked one participant, who preferred to be known simply as Sheri.
Another individual shared similar feelings, expressing gratitude to the U.S. administration for its involvement in the mission.
“Thank you, Mr. President. We’ve been anticipating your support, and you’ve delivered,” stated Agrin Davari.
Davari described the gathering as deeply personal, as she lived in Iran for more than 20 years, adding that the moment represents long-awaited change after decades under the current regime.
“We are here today to celebrate an end of a very dark era that took over for about 47 years,” Davari said. “They really forced their religion and their mentality on Iranian people. They would prison people, execute people and deny women’s rights.”
The celebrations followed Saturday’s U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, which leaders from both countries say were intended to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
“For 47 years, the evil regime in Iran has called death to Israel, death to America,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message Saturday.
“It has crushed the citizens of its own country. It has cast fear upon the peoples of the region, and it has spread a sprawling network of terror throughout the entire world. It has invested vast resources to develop atomic bombs and tens of thousands of missiles intended as it defined it to erase Israel from the map of the world,”
“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries,” President Donald Trump said in a video posted to Truth Social Saturday.
“Just imagine how emboldened this regime would be if they ever had, and actually were armed with nuclear weapons as a means to deliver their message.”
One Persian American woman at the gathering, who also wished to hide her name and go by Sheen, said she vividly remembers experiencing anti-American rhetoric as a student in Iran.
“I remember when I was a student in Iran at school, the Islamic regime, they would force us to say death to America. So, they don’t randomly walk and say death to America, just saying they mean it,” she said.
Iranian officials report more than 200 people were killed in the strikes, including more than 100 children at an all-girls elementary school. The civilian casualties have drawn condemnation from some U.S. leaders, including St. Petersburg City Council Vice Chair Richie Floyd.
“I understand frustration from having a government that you don’t care for. I have a government in my country that I don’t care for right now, but the last thing I want is schools bombed and little girls dead because of that,” Floyd said.
Davari said she too was upset to hear this but added the incident is part of unfortunate consequences of war.
“I feel so sorry for the bottom of my heart, no one wants this level of war and, you know, an unfair situation to the country,” Davari said. “But sadly, it’s really the only way that the Iranian people could force, [or] could actually get relief of the Islamic regime,”
Despite the loss of life, those gathered in Tampa said they remain hopeful and believe the strikes will ultimately lead to a free Iran.