The United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Shock ran around the world, but the Iranian Canadian community in Vancouver, Canada, rejoiced. On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On March 1, many people were seen walking around carrying the Iranian flag, which features green, white, and red horizontal stripes with a sun and a lion holding swords in the centre, as well as placards that read “Make Iran Great Again.”
Some people honked their horns when they saw the flag. They were Iranian Canadian people, and they headed to David Lam Park in Vancouver’s Yaletown district, where the park was packed to the brim. Some people were carrying American and Israeli flags, as well as a large photo of former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who continues to live in exile in the United States.
“The moment we’ve been waiting for has finally come,” some said, while one man said in a voice that was somewhere between joy and a sigh, “47 years has been too long.” Demonstrations have been taking place on Saturdays since last month, with large demonstrations also taking place in Toronto and Montreal in Canada. However, many people have family and friends in Iran, and there were also voices expressing concern for their safety.
The Iranian national team has also been selected to participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The team is set to play in the first round in the United States, and attention is focused on how the United States and FIFA will respond.