Seattle Iranian American fears for family in Iran

Name: Iranian American in Seattle worries for family back home
Uploaded: 2026-03-03T16:31:00-08:00
Description: Hajar, originally from Iran, is fearing for her family's safety as reported airstrikes have landed close to them, and limited communication have only heightened her anxiety.

Iranian American in Seattle worries for family back home

Hajar, originally from Iran, is fearing for her family's safety as reported airstrikes have landed close to them, and limited communication have only heightened her anxiety.

SEATTLE - As attacks continue in Iran, emotions here at home are escalating. FOX 13 talked with an Iranian American here in Seattle who said those attacks are happening as she and her family, friends and community are still processing what’s happening.

What She's Saying:

"It's very confusing, not intellectually confusing, but emotionally confusing," said Hajar, who asked us not to share her last name.

She was born and raised in Iran. She moved to the United States 20 years ago and now lives in Seattle.

Hajar in Iran

"One thing that is not confusing is that I’m horrified and I’m scared for my country, because in spite of what many of my compatriots believe, I don't believe that this is about bringing freedom to Iran. I don't see any conceivable practical way that this could ever lead to anything better for Iranians, any form of freedom, any form of democracy, this is only going to be a regressive step for Iran," Hajar said.

She told FOX 13, she understands why so many other Iranians are hopeful and celebrating, like over the weekend as hundreds rallied across western Washington, but as the attacks continue, she doesn’t feel the same way.

"People say that like, everything has been tried," Hajar said. "People have tried, and we've failed, and this is the last option. I don't believe that, like Iran today, like the regime, is not a monolith, it's not what it was like 47 years ago."

Instead, she wants it all to stop.

"I want the U.S. and Israel to stop, especially stop hitting cultural heritage sites, stop hitting residential areas, stop claiming that these attacks are targeting military bases, because we've seen the story before and it's not true," Hajar said.

Her whole family and many of her friends are still in Iran. Aside from occasional text messages, it’s very hard to contact them right now, she said.

"So, it's very hard to get a sense of exactly what is happening," Hajar said.

A large plume of black smoke rises after an airstrike in Iran.

Dig deeper:

She adds that makes her feel uneasy, especially as strikes hit near her family's home.

"Just yesterday, I read on the news, and I saw videos of Gandhi Hospital being hit, that's two blocks and it's like two Iranian blocks, not two American blocks [away], it's very close to my parents place, and I couldn't call them," Hajar said.

Hours later, she learned her parents were okay, but she recognizes that this is the reality for now.

"It's stuff of my worst nightmares," Hajar said.