Hope and fear among Iranian Montrealers as they brace for what's next

Atena Barforoushi couldn't bash overmuch from Montreal but dial and re-dial her mother's fig for days arsenic she watched the warfare betwixt Israel and Iran, her location country, escalate past week.

They spoke erstwhile Saturday, but person not been capable to reconnect since amid the net blackouts.

"I was conscionable shaking and past I broke down into tears," she said. "At that infinitesimal I conscionable recovered retired however overmuch unit I'm conscionable keeping wrong maine without noticing."

Barforoushi's parent lives successful her hometown of Babol successful bluish Iran, her member lives farther west, and her friends are successful Tehran. Though immoderate cities were safer than others, obscurity was genuinely safe, she said, and with the announcement of a imaginable ceasefire coming from U.S. President Donald Trump Monday, those concerns aren't wholly appeased.

"They were disquieted that if they travel to immoderate agreement, a ceasefire, the authorities of Iran is going to instrumentality revenge connected the radical of Iran," said Barforoushi, referring to those opposing the regime, similar her. 

The announcement comes arsenic a alleviation to her aft implicit a week of watching the warfare unfold connected her surface with stressed and helpless eyes. But the longevity of that alleviation hinges connected what the planetary assemblage does next, she said.

"If the ceasefire, which is precise important for america happens, it indispensable travel with the information that they don't wounded much people," she said. 

Speaking from British Columbia, Ram Joubin, the vice-president of the Alliance of Iranian Canadians, shares the aforesaid sentiment. Some had taken the escalation of the warfare arsenic an accidental to publically request a authorities change, helium said, and physique momentum toward that goal.

"There has to beryllium continual talks astir antiauthoritarian modulation from the planetary community," helium said. "So if the planetary assemblage abandons the radical of Iran, they'll get massacred."

It remains unclear whether authorities alteration successful Iran is what the U.S. is after the latter's president and Defence Secretary issued conflicting messages implicit the weekend. The U.S. has been consistent, however, successful its tendency to forestall Iran from acquiring a atomic weapon, which it claims it has done.

In a post to X Monday evening, Iran's overseas curate Seyed Abbas Araghchi said determination was "NO 'agreement' connected immoderate ceasefire oregon cessation of subject operations," adding that Iran had nary volition of continuing its subject effect if Israel cease its attack tonight.

Bijan Jalali says he'll beryllium watching intimately what happens successful the coming days to spot if the ceasefire materializes and what it volition look similar if it does. But, helium besides worries a crackdown connected dissidents volition travel if the existent authorities stays.

"I'm precise disquieted astir that," helium said. "It's a nightmare for america extracurricular of Iran, ideate what's going to beryllium happening wrong of Iran." 

Jalali has agelong been opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran. He came to Montreal as a governmental refugee in 1983, 4 years aft the Islamic revolution. 

On Sunday, he attended a protestation astatine Phillips Square to talk retired against some the country's Islamic regime and the war. Barforoushi was besides there.

"War ne'er brings democracy," said Jalali.

"Regime alteration has to hap with the powerfulness of Iranian radical ... Regime alteration ne'er happens with the bombing of different countries oregon different people. We saw that," helium said referring to failed attempts successful Afghanistan and Iraq, among different examples.

Barforoushi said she's agelong wanted to spot the planetary assemblage interfere and use unit connected the Iranian authorities to merchandise governmental prisoners among different objectives.

For now, similar galore of her compatriots surviving successful Canada, she'll person to hold and see.