Hundreds of people gathered in Houston Sunday to celebrate news of the death of Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader.<\/p>\n
Members of Houston\u2019s Iranian American community held what they called a freedom celebration on the same streets where they have been calling for change for months.<\/p>\n
Several people told KHOU 11 they never knew if they would see the possibility of a leadership change in their lifetime.<\/p>\n
Cheers, dancing and a chorus of car horns filled the sidewalks for hours near the Galleria.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are just showing our happiness,\u201d Amy said.<\/p>\n
Amy was among the large crowd at Sunday\u2019s celebration. Many attendees said they are now hopeful for change in Iran\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t think the world knows how big of an event this is,\u201d Brian Taef said. \u201cLooking five years, 10 years down the road, this will be a history-defining moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taef spoke with KHOU 11 while holding an American flag. Throughout the gathering, people waved American, Israeli and pre-revolution Iranian flags.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lion and sun is basically saying we want to go back to the glory days,\u201d Taef said.<\/p>\n
Some participants held signs calling for a free Iran, while others expressed gratitude toward former President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsrael and President Trump took the biggest step, but it’s not done. It’s not done,\u201d Eden said.<\/p>\n
Many attendees said they hope recent developments could lead to broader political change.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are hoping for a regime change in Iran,\u201d Elham said.<\/p>\n
That sentiment was echoed by several people who said they would like to see Iran\u2019s exiled Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi, return to lead the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a very peaceful nation \u2014 not the regime, but the people are very peaceful,\u201d said Shahpar Razmzan with the National Union for Democracy in Iran.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are done with the Islamic Republic. We don’t want the ideology. We want peace with the world,\u201d Eden said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you remove that domino of terror and death and replace it with peace, that effect could be exponential \u2014 not just for the region, but for the globe,\u201d Taef added.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear who will ultimately take control of Iran\u2019s government. For now, a three-person council is overseeing leadership decisions and has vowed to name a new Supreme Leader in the coming days, while President Donald Trump has urged the Iranian people to take back their country.<\/p>\n