‘A sense of utter fear’: Calgary’s Iranian community reacts to escalating Iran-Israel conflict

Members of Calgary's Iranian community are speaking out about the toll of a growing conflict involving Israel and their fears for loved ones back home.

As tensions between Iran and Israel intensify, many in Calgary’s Iranian community are watching with both hope and dread.

The fear of war looms large — but for some, there’s also a fragile optimism that the turmoil might finally loosen the grip of a regime they fled long ago.

Farhad Dargahi, the owner of a Calgary Persian carpet store, fled Iran more than three decades ago after facing persecution for speaking out on human rights.

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He says many Iranians in Canada fear for the safety of their loved ones back home but also view Israel’s aggression as a potential turning point against the Islamic regime.

“My sister, for example, passed away last year. She was arrested three times by the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps), she was tortured, she’d been raped in jail all because she was protesting against human rights,” said Dargahi.

“She passed away last year after all the torture she went through. She couldn’t make it. It was heartbreaking.”

Dargahi worries now for the safety of his mother and other family members back home in Iran but says many of them are optimistic for a resolution.

“Of course, there are casualties in every war, but my family, they say they are willing to pay the price, even to be killed if it means overthrowing this government.”

Israel launched a coordinated military strike on Iran last week in response to growing concerns over Tehran’s nuclear capabilities and reported covert threats.

Iranian leaders responded with missile launches targeting Tel Aviv, further escalating the long-standing regional animosity.

The conflict was a key discussion at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, where world leaders urged de-escalation but appeared divided on strategy. U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly left the summit Saturday, sparking speculation.

Mohammad Keyhani, an associate professor at the University of Calgary, originally from Iran, called the current moment “a sense of utter fear that has now taken over many of us who feared this day.”

“I have extended family there. They message us to tell us that they hear bombings near them. Some of them don’t know where to go and evacuating Tehran is very difficult,” he said.

“There are lines at the gas stations, traffic in the roads leading out of Tehran. For many people, it’s not easy. It’s not possible to leave.”

Keyhani says the complexity of the conflict goes beyond recent missile strikes.

“Israel has been far more aggressive as a military power,” he said. “In terms of rhetoric, they have both been sort of aggressive, but in reality, Israel has been actively targeting neighbour nations and committing war crimes that are recognized internationally.”

In 2024, the United Nations’ top court ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire for the enclave.

The International Court of Justice decision ordered Israel to halt the offensive in the southern Gaza Strip city, allow war crimes investigators access to Gaza and immediately increase humanitarian aid into the region.

In a statement Monday, the leaders of the G7 sent out a joint statement affirming Israel’s right to defend itself and their support for the country’s security.

It also stated that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon.”

“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement reads.

While voices in Calgary diverge on geopolitical blame, most agree the Iranian regime’s internal repression has bred widespread resentment.

“I would estimate that maybe up to 30, 40 per cent of Iranian society support the current regime,” said Keyhani.

“The regime has oppressed its own people. It has stifled free speech, civil society ... Many people in the country are actively anti-government.”

‘Iran is our temple’

That sentiment is shared by Bahareh Zare Bahari, a political refugee who was once detained at an airport in the Philippines under threat of deportation to Iran.

“We know the regime very well. For 46 years, we’ve been fighting against them,” she said.

“People of Iran kind of are happy to see some of these places are being targeted by the Israelis, but at the same time, we are worried for our families, for our friends.”

Zare Bahari recently named her newborn daughter “Iran” — a symbol of love and defiance.

“Iran is our temple,” she said. “She’s really beautiful, like Iran ... and thank God she’s healthy.”

She warns of the regime’s use of disinformation and violence.

“This is possible that the regime kills Iranian people and then claims that Israel did it,” she said.

“My family says the Israelis are sending Persian language messages just to make innocent civilians aware of the attacks, they don’t want to harm ordinary people. So, what makes us worry is this regime.”

As the conflict escalates, Keyhani says uncertainty around U.S. involvement deepens.

“There was some discussion... that maybe the U.S. will get involved... Iran has warned against it,” he said.

“Trump’s supporters are now falling into two camps: one group urging restraint, the other pushing for deeper involvement.”

The lack of clarity, Keyhani added, leaves many wondering whether recent peace talks were genuine or a façade.

“Right now, there’s a lot of discussion that maybe the entire idea of negotiating with Iran was a cover-up intended to surprise Iran with this attack,” Keyhani said.

“I just hope that at some point this comes to an end and people realize that everyone’s life has the same value.”

With files from The Canadian Press and Reuters