Great. Check one, two. Alright. So we have it for the cameras. Could you introduce yourself
and tell us which organization you're with? I'm Zara Fakari and I'm Officer of Iranian
Student Association at UWM. Milwaukee. When and why did you leave Iran? My parents
say love to Iran and it was because of the revolution and also my father was a
political prisoner in Iran because he was against IRGC so we had that kind of
thing in our family so it was better for our safety to not leave there anymore.
Have you ever been there to visit? Yes. When was the last time you were there?
More than six years ago. How would you describe life there before the war began?
People were in Iran we had a lot of uprisings so we were always waiting for a
good moment that people can't get rid of the Islamic regime so what I would
see every time more hope in people's lives and they were waiting for the
moment whenever you would even sitting in the taxis or talking with youth or
old people they would always say that it's pretty close to see the moment that
they're gone and right now I see that even after facing all of these
strikes in the country there are all agreeing in this that living under the
common age dynasty is more horrible and terrifying for them than the threat of
my souls so that's how they see the situation and how they are waiting for
the moment to see the freedom for Iranian people because they not only
thinking about their nation but also the other nations that they're already
getting involved and they have been involved for 47 years so it's something
that's national wallet and it's something that would help everyone to see the
freedom and have a better and safer word and that's all we are thinking of right
now tensions have been building for a while for months between the United
States and Iran what was your reaction when you learned that a military strike
from America and Israel had begun because I was in the all the uprisings it as I
said it was not just started like a couple of months ago but the worst thing
that happened to Iranian people was two months ago that the country was again
under the blackout for more than 10 days we could not hear from them even the
phone lines inside Iran was completely cut it off and people would even neighbor
to neighbor they could not call each other so in that moment they slothered
more than 30,000 people in the country whoever I knew as an Iranian I would
talk to them and they knew someone close to their families relatives or friends
that they lost their lives so we all of these tensions started before whatever
happened with the intervention of any country like Israel or US so we faced
that and we were all depressed and crying our eyes out for more than two
months and after that that the blackout finished we could see what has happened
to Iranian people and then at that moment we tried all diaspora and Iranian
people outside of Iran we tried to be their worries and asking other countries
to help our people because for 47 years we tried different ways with
uprisings we protesting with everything we could not help as our nation we could
not do anything for ourselves the only thing that the most precious thing is
our lives we lost a lot of lives we do not have anything more to offer and also we were
saying that other countries are facing some issues with IRGC and Islamic Republic and the
threat is not just for Iranian people they're already kidnapped that's what I see
even right now after 250 hours of blackout they're kidnapped so they're there and the
the other nations are saying everything all of the tourist activities all of the
things that happening and threatening people's lives in other countries if you dig into them
there are some hands of them in that and they're Iran is a very wealthy country they have a lot
of oil and gas and all the money just goes to supporting and funding tourist activities around
the world so we begged for this moment honestly all of the uprisings and all the protests and
rallies that happen even outside of Iran we were mentioning that we need help from
us we were calling the president we were asking all the countries that it could help us so
it was something as an intervention that they could help Iranian people to remove this Islamic
regime and then Iranian people do the job and make the country a free country and taking back
our own country to the the country the real Iran that was for 47 that was in 1979 it was a real
Iran people were always judging Iranian people based on the country that it is right now because
of the government we tried so hard and we are trying so hard to show that we are even kidnapped
by them we are also under pressure of this government so we are Iranians and we are different we don't
have anything to do with all of these activities and war should be a better place also for everyone
so you do support the military action right now yes I do because as I said there was no other way
around what are the discussions you have with other Iranians about the war who are here in
Wisconsin with you we never say that we are not terrified we are we are scared of everything
right now because there are different phases for Iranian people at first we were so happy because
of the intervention that we were waiting for after that we got really happy and thrilled because of
the death of the economy but we all knew that it's not just one person it's systematic we cannot
say that and topple that government down just by killing one person now we are saying that
everything is happening there and they are using Iranian people as human shield they're all getting
hidden in the under the hospitals into schools even I'm seeing the Iranian
Iranian TV that and media inside Iran that they're doing all their interviews exactly in front of
the blackboards of the schools elementary schools so we are worried for our people it's not thinking
about the military that is happening because we see that it's targeted and why the technology
they can choose where to heat and what's happening there and those people who are responsible about
all the things and terrorist activities are at the target but we are scared that as they never
cared about humans lives in Iran they're again doing that at this moment using Iranian's life
as a human shield so that's the most terrifying part for us right now who should lead Iran
whoever Iranian people inside Iran and Iranian people outside of Iran agreeing with
right now what I could hear the same both inside and outside of Iran was Rosa Pallavi
and the everything that they were saying even the last time that Iran was not under
back under the blackout there were a lot of Iranian students that they did protest inside the schools
inside the university they were all chanting Javi Shah which in Persian means we're waiting for
the king so Rosa Pallavi is the previous king son so now everyone is almost most of the higher
percentage of Iranian people are agreeing on him and they're repeating the same sentence together
inside and outside that's what I'm hearing and seeing so do you want free and fair elections
for Iranians yes have you been in contact with family since the war began yes tell us about your
family so it's so emotional it's because of the blackout there's no way to call them
so they're calling us directly by the phone lines and the quality of the call is terrible
what they say is always that we are okay everything is fine and everything will be fine
do not worry about us and they're saying that they're gone they're already gone everything is
finished at least in the minds of all Iranians so we know it's kind of over and we are waiting
for that 24 hours that it happens because based on the history and everything that we read about
other dictatorships everything happens in the last 24 hours they're standing to the last minute
but they will fall down in a minute so what they're sharing is that and they're talking about how
they're using tapes and scotches on the windows because they don't they really do not know
where are they hidden for example my mother-in-law house all the windows shattered down because
her house was close to one of the IRGC centers and by course I mean like more than five miles
or six miles something like that but the point is that we are scary that if they're hidden in the
neighbor in the other apartment beside you we do not know that's most of the times especially
right now that they're targeted by missiles so she was like at first I was scared so bad and
I was screaming and trying to get hidden because in Iran there is no sirens there is no shelters
as I mentioned the government does not care less about human humans lives in Iran so there is nothing
there people are just informing each other and imagine there is no internet so in 21st century
how they can help each other someone is telling the other one or
other opposite way they're just staring at the targets and recording that to just send it out to
outside of Iran if they can but they are pretty sure that if the target the muscles are coming for
targeting IRGC they're safe that's all I know and they feel like this but they're full of hope
is it difficult being separated and not being able to communicate with family
what I learned they could not cut off the line from inside calling from inside to outside
but if I want to call them directly there is no chance and they don't have the internet
either that's an outage nothing so when they call you is the only time you're communicating
yes so yeah we set a time so they will do their best to call at that time in the morning
that's how we can communicate but I'm comparing for example today it was the last I'm going to talk
with them I'm comparing that to like seven days ago the quality of call is terrible and we were both
saying that we guess that they're doing something with phone lines too and one of my other friends
she talked on phone with her family and when she was like crying and asking like how is the
situation because it's so hard from outside all your beloved ones all your family's relatives
even your your own your own country is in a very bad situation it couldn't be worse than this but
she was crying on the phone and when she said how is everything going on there the phone was cut
it off all we you're pretty sure all of our calls are kind of be scanned or they're hearing
what we were saying because they're filtering everything too so okay okay what are your hopes
for family and the other Iranian residents still there I'm comparing my people with other countries
like Ukrainian or other countries that they had the same situation I'm saying that Iranians are
not escaping from the country they're not even going outside of Tehran or because many of my
families are from Tehran in the capital and it was the main target they're staying at homes and
they're not escaping from the country or even the city because they are waiting for better
situation to come and also what I think is that people are like more trusted to
Israel or USA if they're saying just stay at home they're rather to listen to that
because the Iran government IRGC sent a text message to all the phone lines saying that if
you're in Tehran leave Tehran and go to another city that was a text that they sent to Iran and
people and then Iranian people were like okay if the IRGC says that we're not doing that that's
how the scenario works there so I'm saying that they're not afraid they're recording the
missiles coming down they are talking to each other easily and they are not escaping from their
homes so I feel like it's so different from my culture to other cultures because they feel more
belonging to the country and they feel like they have to stay at their homes and they have to
support each other and do not get discouraged and also wait for that moment that's what I see
from outside and as I mentioned the Texas from IRGC right now the Texas that they're receiving
is that they're threatening Iranian people if they come outside and protest or do anything and
there are going at night to people at night would chant from out and from their windows like
death to victor, death to culminate something like this and then they started to walk it I mean
driving around the area in the streets and playing some songs to cover those chanting and after that
it didn't work now they're threatening people while they're driving around the area so now the
situation is changed to threatening Iranian people on TV, on text messages now it's what they're saying
inside. Okay you had said that you do want a regime change where do you stand on foreign
intervention forcing that regime change is that do you support that? I do because after 47 years
if you do have a checklist for getting rid of this regime we have done all the checklists
it was the last option for us and also right now we're agreeing that together because the other
they were saying that imagine after more than 10 days of being bombarded and all of those
missiles to their centers to everything by the most powerful military service in the world like
us and israel they're still there and they're threatening Iranian people how we could do that
with bare hands was there any other option for us we could not see that and as I say the last option
for us was losing more than 40,000 30,000 Iranian people I'm estimating the number because they
would never let us know how many they are some Iranian organization by writing down the names
they could do some estimations and now we know that they were with thousands of Iranian people so
we don't have anything more to offer that's what we are thinking. Okay what are your thoughts about
the anti-war protests here in the United States and those who think that America should not be
waging this war? It's really important for everyone to know a people and talk to the people
and understand those people from their shoes what I really want them if they are looking for
something good for my people it's the best case scenario to ask my people whether is their thoughts
no one says the war is good no one says that I want missiles to come to my country even if I say
that there are IRGC centers there are buildings that they were built in my city in my country
there are precious not only for me but also for my people but if it could help my people to live
better life okay even not thinking about the better life if they can be safe for the next years or
in the future I would like that to happen and also something helpful for other nations too
they have to know what are we fighting with so if there is any other options for them
let us know because we could not find any other solution for our people
for our country for the safety of the Middle East now they can see how the IRGC is reacting
they're bombarding Dubai Emirates it was so surprising for even Iranians that we are we can
expect anything from IRGC there is nothing that you can tell me and I said that no there is a
limit for IRGC there is no limit for them there is no limit in them for killing Iranian people
for human shells there is no limit for them so what we are seeing is the true face of IRGC
please see that and please talk to Iranians we Iranians who have our families are below ones
inside Iran we would definitely know something that you might not feel it and all the scenarios
are not as easy as you might think written on the paper everything might be complex and more
complicated so we are thinking that this regime is more horrifying and more scary than IRGC to stay
in our country that's what we think okay the Trump administration has said the reason
that they began this war is to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons what are your thoughts
on that as a justification for this war based on my my experience they have never said anything
right they were so professionally lying if they have said that they stopped that 100%
it's a lie if you ask any Iranian they would say that they're definitely they're they're lying
so if if they say that they stopped it I believe they did not if they say that they wanted to use
it for peaceful or anything good for human being our 100th person say that it was wrong if
if there is a use of having bombs by having nuclear technology 100% that's what they were
looking for so even if they if they say that they stopped it I would not believe that no
no Iranian would believe that so if any other countries say that no there is some doubts that
they were continuing that and they were progressing on using on a nuclear weapon or something I do
believe that more so there is a good chance for them what resolution are you hoping for in the end
getting rid of Islamic regime Iranian people doing their job to make the country free and having a
secular government and better place and showing the word what is a real Iran and what is real
Iranian people and how it could be a better word with peaceful country in the middle list that's
what we are looking for I've seen some discussion that the Iranian regime is now threatening
Iranians living abroad have you seen or heard that are you concerned um you know you would be
concerned if you it's your first time seeing that we're seeing that every day
Iranian embassy sends a lot of emails to me I can show you there is sending a lot of
Texas to families of people who are who their their daughters or sons or they're
anyone close to them or outside of the Iran and they're right now the last threat was for less
than 48 hours ago that they threat us that they will take over whatever we have inside Iran if
I don't know if we have an appointment in Iran they're going to take it over because of my
activity if I do have I don't know a land or any property that I do have they would take it over
so this was the most recent threat but there are tons and we are every day we're receiving
emails because if you if they can access to you via I don't know Instagram or
Twitter or anything they would do that too so and we are living that life of having threats
every single day you're concerned that attitudes towards Iranian Americans may change as the war
goes on and more American soldiers are hurt or killed honestly what I'm seeing between
Iranian peoples I'm not saying that um I'm gonna say that human lives is depending on their nationality
but we are so so concerned that more non-Iranians losing their lives because we see that it kind
of helped to our nation so what we're praying all the time is that there is less American or
non-Iranian lives to lose their lives in this path and we all appreciating this and we cannot
thank them enough for what they're doing for our nation I know they definitely go into reflect
all other nation's lives too not only Iranians but at this moment we're just
just concerned more lives going to be lost with this so we're hoping that date happens ASAP so
human lives can be saved more not Iranian also but also Americans as well sure okay how old are
you 30 32 32 32 okay um I've asked a lot of questions there anything else that I didn't ask
this important um I'm saying because as a person who is trying to be Iranian's voice we and joining
most of the rallies inside America and being a member of diaspora of Iranians um we are seeing
other groups that they're against us and they're trying to fight against us and kind of stopping
us or even intervening with all the rallies that we are doing and they're supporting IRGCs
even if they don't think that they're doing but they are doing that so what I really want them to
know is that just by supporting Iranian peoples they can fight against IRGC and if they're against
Iranian people outside of Iran or inside of Iran there are indirectly they're supporting IRGC
so I would like them to get more educated on what is the real story what is the real feeling
of Iranians or at least talk to Iranians or read their stories or talk about what's happening in
Iran how is their feelings when they do have parents inside Iran definitely their feeling would be
more realistic than a person who does not have any member of their families than God that they
don't inside Iran so listening to us and trying to understand us although this uh might not make
sense because Noah would look for missiles or war in in their country but if there is something that
we are like trying to get out of that is what the most important thing for us so I would like them
to understand us and also Muslim people around the world I never felt like they're supporting us
Iran has more than 90 percent of Muslims in Middle East so I want them to support Iranian
peoples they're seeing what is happening to other countries even that country with supporting IRGC
like Oman or Qatar or all those they're not still safe so I want them to see the real face and to
understand who and where they have to stand for real peaceful word so that's all I'm asking them
and do not stop us from what we are fighting for okay thank you so much for your time thank you
could I have you say your name against us so I can the pronunciation correct Z-A-R-A
F-A-K-A-R-I okay and how do you say it Zara Fakari Zara Fakari yes okay should we do room tone
Lena I think that's okay it's pretty wide in here I think we're good we're just going to get
some more footage of you