Persian Jews in Los Angeles protest for change in Iran

Known unofficially as “Tehrangeles,” this community is home to the largest Iranian population in the United States, many of them Persian Jews who fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

Today, they watch anxiously as events unfold both in their homeland and in Israel, caught in what they describe as a “double nightmare.”

Many residents maintain close ties with family still in Iran, while others have relatives living in Israeli cities like Bat Yam, which has recently come under missile fire in the ongoing war. The conflict has stirred old traumas and fresh fears in this diaspora, who have long lived with a sense of exile—rooted in the past, yet intensely present in the now.

After fleeing religious persecution and the collapse of the Shah’s regime, the community rebuilt its life in California, establishing businesses, schools, and places of worship. 

But while many have achieved material success, a powerful sense of responsibility and longing remains. Community members have become increasingly active in Iranian opposition movements, some of which receive cautious, indirect support from the U.S. government. Their advocacy, however, is marked by restraint—supporting democratic reform in Iran without provoking direct military confrontation.

Support for Israel is deeply ingrained in the community. In times of crisis, that solidarity moves beyond words to concrete action—donations, public statements, and media support. But the current war has exposed the painful intersection of loyalties, as some families find themselves worrying simultaneously for loved ones under Iranian repression and others sheltering from rocket attacks in Israel.

At a recent demonstration in Los Angeles, a prominent figure drew significant attention: Princess Noor Pahlavi. The daughter of Reza Pahlavi—the exiled Iranian crown prince and a long-standing figurehead of the opposition—Noor symbolizes the enduring hope for a secular and democratic Iran. Her lifestyle, education, and public presence stand in sharp contrast to the fundamentalist leadership in Tehran, making her both an aspirational figure and a perceived threat by the regime.

Nearby, the media outlet “Iran International,” operating from Los Angeles, continues to serve as a vital link between exiles and their homeland. The station’s reports are followed closely inside Iran, even as the authorities attempt to silence its broadcasts. Recently, it accurately predicted the timing of a U.S. military strike, further cementing its reputation as a credible source of information in a tightly controlled media landscape.

For many in Tehrangeles, the hope for change in Iran has never faded. They dream not of revenge or revolution, but of a return—of seeing their homeland free from repression, open once again to the world. As the war rages and fears grow, their voices echo louder. Their hearts may beat in Los Angeles, but they still ache for Tehran.