‘At first I cried’: How Iranian Canadians are reacting to the U.S. strikes in Iran

Iranian Canadians gathered in various cities across the country this weekend celebrating recent strikes in Iran by the U.S. targeting 'imminent threats from the Iranian regime.'

Iranian Canadians rallied in some of Canada’s major cities over the weekend, with some expressing words of elation and support over the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The strikes began Saturday morning and appeared to target areas of downtown Tehran, which included locations linked to Iran’s leadership.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social the intent of the “massive” operation was to ensure Tehran does not obtain a nuclear weapon, “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”

For Sedi Minachi, the strikes were a positive event.

“I can’t stop being happy,” she said at a rally in Vancouver on Feb. 28. “I just, at first, I cried, I couldn’t believe it. I feel like the nightmare after 47 years is finishing, almost finishing. We still haven’t heard the news of the collapse of the regime, but I look forward to it.”

On Saturday afternoon, Trump said on Truth Social that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in the strikes. State media later confirmed his death.

Minachi has organized protests and rallies in Vancouver in recent weeks, in opposition to the Iranian regime which had been cracking down on demonstrations against the government.

Iranians fed up with corruption, economic mismanagement and repressive religious rules in their country have been rallying since late last year.