My grandfather narrowly avoided death under the Iranian regime. But I am not celebrating Trump's illegal war | Anonymous

"There's no doubt that Ali Khamenei was the head of one of the most murderous regimes in modern history. From innumerable state-sanctioned executions, torture and imprisonment of innocent civilians to a despotic rewriting of Iran's state reality and external narrative all the way to my own family's exile from their homeland it is clear that his death is not a tragedy."

"However, I worry that, for the people of Iran, Trump's illegal war could be. While I do not speak for the Australian-Iranian diaspora as a whole, I am gravely concerned on a human level for what this attack will cost in innocent lives."

"However, one thing remains clear: civilians should not be killed. By their government, or by foreign powers violating state sovereignty. For people who live in Iran and have to endure the terror of US-Israeli bombings with limited bomb shelters and a government actively prohibiting their escape and movement the fear is c"

The author's family fled Iran in 1980 after receiving a death threat from the Islamic Republic, eventually settling in Australia. While acknowledging the Ayatollah's regime as murderous and oppressive through executions, torture, and imprisonment, the author expresses concern about foreign military intervention. The Iranian population and diaspora remain divided on regime change, with some desperate for it and others opposed. However, a fundamental principle persists: civilians should not be killed by their government or foreign powers. For those living in Iran facing bombings with inadequate shelter and restricted movement, and for diaspora members anxiously awaiting contact with family, the human cost of escalating conflict is devastating and indiscriminate.

Read at www.theguardian.com