Across California, Iranian Americans are shocked, alarmed or relieved at the killing of Qassem Sulei
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As word spread of Suleimani’s killing in Iraq by U.S. military drones, in a strike ordered by President Trump, few parts of the U.S. were more affected than California, home to the largest population of Iranians outside Iran. Many in the diaspora found themselves in a familiar position on Friday, straddling two worlds — at once concerned with how a sudden dramatic rise in Middle East tensions might further destabilize the region and affect friends and family in Iran, and afraid of being targeted at home should violence escalate and harm American citizens.
Across the state, Iranian Americans said they were variously shocked, alarmed or relieved that the man seen as a cultural icon in Iran, and the mastermind behind the Islamic Republic’s military operations throughout the region, is gone. Some members of a community that has grown accustomed to the four-decade geopolitical chess match of Iran-U.S. relations are wondering what will follow, as Tehran quickly vowed “harsh retaliation” for the attack and the White House urged U.S. citizens to leave Iraq immediately.
Despite these uncertainties, Khanlou has no doubts about the character of the feared man who formerly led Iran’s elite Quds Force.
“That guy was a monster,” Khanlou said. “He killed a million people.”
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-04/la-me-iran-suleimani-killing-reaction?
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