Photos: L.A.'s Iranian American community celebrates in Westwood

"The Greater Los Angeles area is home to the largest concentration of people of Iranian descent outside Iran. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, it has served as a capital for exiles. By 2019, more than half of Iranian immigrants to the U.S. lived in California, with 29% - nearly 140,000 people - living in Los Angeles County alone."

"Many settled in and around Westwood, earning the area the nickname "Tehrangeles." As word spread on social media of a large demonstration in support of the strikes, people gathered to celebrate the news."

The Greater Los Angeles area hosts the largest Iranian diaspora outside Iran, with approximately 140,000 Iranian immigrants in Los Angeles County alone. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the region has functioned as a major hub for Iranian exiles, with Westwood earning the nickname "Tehrangeles." By 2019, over half of Iranian immigrants to the United States resided in California. When military strikes occurred in Tehran, members of West L.A.'s Iranian American community gathered to celebrate, with demonstrations organized through social media. This response reflects the complex relationship many exiles maintain with their homeland after nearly fifty years of separation.

Read at Los Angeles Times