BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 For many Iranian Americans in Bakersfield, the recent U.S. strike on Iran represents more than a military action \u2014 it feels personal.<\/p>\n
Zack Bashirtash, a first-generation American born and raised in Bakersfield, said he felt excited when he heard the news.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was really happy that something that a lot of the Persian community had been waiting for decades finally came to pass,\u201d Bashirtash said.<\/p>\n
Bashirtash\u2019s father immigrated to the United States from Iran in the 1970s, shortly before the Iranian Revolution. He said many Iranian Americans view the strike as a potential turning point \u2014 not as a call for American troops to enter another prolonged conflict, but as an opportunity for change led by Iranians themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t advocate for American boots on the ground,\u201d Bashirtash said. \u201cThey don\u2019t want an endless war. It\u2019s completely different than anything that\u2019s happened in history. So I\u2019m happy that they have the opportunity now to go fight for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He described mixed emotions within the community, particularly for those with family still living in Iran.<\/p>\n
\u201cI worry about my family that still is there, and you hope that things will be okay,\u201d he said. \u201cBut now it\u2019s like, well, you\u2019ve got an opportunity to experience some freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Rep. Vince Fong defended the president\u2019s decision, calling the strike strategic and targeted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been the policy of the United States that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,\u201d Fong said.<\/p>\n
Fong said the president has the authority to take such action and emphasized that the strike was deliberate.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the most frustrating things, as a businessman that I see and experience in government, is how long things take to get done,\u201d Bashirtash said. \u201cSo I appreciate action being taken \u2014 and this was strategic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lawmakers are expected to receive classified briefings in Washington on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
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