‘Everyone I know is panicking’: Fear grips Sydney Iranian community

It has been five agonising days since Melika has heard from her father.

Melika, who asked to go by her first name, is in the dark when it comes to the wellbeing of her family living in Iran, like much of the diaspora in Australia amid the country’s war with Israel.

She said communication has been extremely limited since the war began, and that she last heard from her father after Shiraz, the city he lives in, was bombed.

“I got a message through Instagram, he said not to worry, that he wasn’t hurt, and he would try and call me when he can. I haven’t heard back since, though.

“I have no idea where he is, or how he is doing. It has been extremely stressful – everyone I know is panicking.”

She said the uncertainty was exacerbating general anxiety among Iranian Australians about the conflict but that she was glad to be away from the violence, which escalated at the weekend as the United States bombed nuclear facilities in Iran.

“I am happy here, but my heart is over there. But at the same time, I would not want to be there right now, with all the stress and the lack of internet. So we are all torn like this.”

Her description of a community torn was a recurring image in discussions with other members of the community, some of whom feared being identified in a story on the Iranian regime.

Freda Asnoori has been in Australia with her parents and siblings since 1972 and has spent the past week desperately attempting to contact her cousins still living in Iran.

She said she was “very upset and very shaky” after hearing the United States had bombed Iran, but that she had so far been unable to check in on her “many cousins”.

“I’ve been trying to call and message, and nothing. I have no idea where they are and what is going on. I am very, very stressed out.

“I hate how this is playing out, hate what they are doing. It is terrible, and everyone is angry and upset.”

She said she was particularly devastated to hear that nuclear sites were targeted, saying she was worried about the potential impacts.

“What if people get sick?” she said. “What if the animals get sick? This can only result in a worse food and medicine shortage, it will only make things worse.”

Siamak Ghahreman, president of the Australian Iranian Community Organisation, described his community as having mixed emotions, squeezed between a regime that does not enjoy universal support, and a war that is tearing their country apart.

“Our community is feeling deeply frustrated,” he said. “These attacks could have been prevented, this entire war could have been prevented. They could have continued negotiations, could have forced the regime to behave better.

“We feel like Israel never gave peace a chance. And now these attacks could leave radiation and nuclear fallout that could affect generations.”

He says the community feels they are being punished for the regime’s decisions. Their frustrations have been compounded by ongoing communications difficulties.

“Even when calls do work, we can’t speak honestly because we are afraid the calls are tapped. So we speak in codes, meaning we don’t get all the information we want.

“They will know if you share information with the outside world.”

Ghahreman listed multiple people who had called him on Sunday seeking advice and reassurance, some with elderly or sick family members stuck without support in Tehran.

“There is just nothing we can do.”

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