Iranian-Canadian communities in Vancouver and Toronto say a temporary ceasefire has brought some relief, but deep concern remains for loved ones in Iran following threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire after Trump’s latest warnings raised alarms internationally.
Human rights advocate Soushiant Zanganehpour said the rhetoric marked a sharp escalation.
“He has not dealt with an adversary this unmanageable … to threaten the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure … and then to ratchet up those threats to the level of the eradication of the civilization — this is genocidal,” he said.
On social media, Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die” unless Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz, setting a Tuesday evening deadline.
Across Iran, people formed human chains around power plants, while hundreds gathered on bridges holding flags.
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In Vancouver, members of the region’s large Iranian community reacted with a mix of skepticism and fear.
One Iranian resident told Global News the threats were unlikely to be carried out, describing Iran as a vast country with a long history that cannot be destroyed.
Another Iranian resident said people in Iran have long endured a brutal regime, but warned the situation could worsen without a clear plan.
In Toronto, Iranian-Canadians said the developments have made an already emotional situation more stressful.
Rogina Aselfallah said she had been on edge while following the latest developments, worried about her family members in her home country.
She said the last-minute decision to suspend attacks about 90 minutes before a deadline brought temporary relief, but also uncertainty.
“I’m very happy that power and water aren’t going to go out for two weeks, but then (what) after the two weeks? That’s scary too,” she said.
Babak Zamani said it is difficult to know what his family is experiencing. “Every night they are scared to just sleep. We are hoping to end the war as soon as possible,” he told Global. He described the situation as painful and conflicted, with people caught between calls for political change and fears about further destruction.
Sam Fayaz, who owns an Iranian grocery store in Toronto, said many in the community want to see change in Iran’s government, but were alarmed by Trump’s comments.
“(We) were very concerned, extremely saddened by his comments (about) destroying the entire civilization. That’s really not what we want,” he said.
Fayaz added many Iranian-Canadians feel a responsibility to speak out.
“People have no voice (there) and it’s our job here to be their voice,” he said.
Many say they are now hoping the ceasefire will give both sides time to reach a longer-term resolution. Zanganehpour said the uncertainty has left people searching for answers.
“The fact that we don’t have answers, we’re all on the sidelines trying to make sense of unprecedented things. I hope it does bring us a little bit together, because we’re all we have,” he said.
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Trump agrees to 2-week ceasefire hours after threats Iran’s ‘whole civilization will die’ -
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Trump backs down on Iran threats again amid temporary ceasefire
Listen to that JV guy?
White Guilt? What’s that? Everyone guilty because of wrongs done 300 years ago in a completely different time and era of moral and ethical standards? Yeah right, forget that.
Is it like White Privilege. Where in a society set buy by one culture for the benefit of that culture and all who welcomed to it because they were oppressed in the countries or communities they left?
Is there white privilege in China or India? No. Is there WP in Japan no! Or Africa now? No.
Apparently it only exists in societies where a free society was set up by white people and who allowed others to join it.
Is that not a Double standard?
JV you do realise being that by being non white but calling others WhiteTrash is racist right?So Is it ok for you to be racist but not others?
JV – I get youa re just enjoying trolling… but I am curious…
Is it a “Far-RIght opinion” that there is still an internet blackout in Iran? Why would that be, if the iranians are fully on the side of the Regime? Just an interesting thought to consider.
We only see and hear what the Iranian leadership wants. You have a regime urging its citizens to form human shields on site at crucial infrastructure after the threats from Trump.
So instead of trying to protect their citizens, they are using them as pawns.
Would it be possible… just stay with me… that the regime has such control over the flow of information, that they could convince Iranians to create human shields at crucial infrastructure?
Kind of like how most of Canada was convinced that the trucker convoy was a bad thing, because the news said so?
Now don’t get me wrong, I assume Jeremy is white (he might not be but i’m sure he is), and I am a white boy myself, but I make up for that by daily self-flagellation. I embrace my White Guilt, as every white person should. I hurt myself, because I am a loser like all other Whites. One day i’ll start poisoning the water supply of white suburban areas. I learned this off TiokTok, my source of education.
Who cares, nuke iran
Jeremy H. – Oh look another white trash idiot blaming global for not agreeing with his far-right opinion. If you don’t agree with Global’s reporting then why are you here?
Agree with JeremyH, this is B S
This is such a load of bull, Global. You only interview people supportive of or indifferent to the Regime. I know at least one hundred Persians, mostly in North Van. I lived there 2 decades and even speak a tiny bit of Farsi. ALL of them were hoping Trump would carry out some big attacks, which would in turn get millions onto the streets to finally throw out the regime. Give it up, Global, you can’t change reality.
It is time for Iranians to rise up and destroy the Iranian regime. The United States and Israel have done lots to weaken the evil regime.