An Iranian man living in Colorado says he and countless others regret ever voting for the change in government that led to decades of brutality. He with his family fled after the 1970s revolution to keep his wife and daughters safe and free. 

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Touraj fled Iran with his family in the late 1970s to the United States. He expressed hope and thanks for the current intervention by the U.S. military decades since escaping the regime that took over his home country.

CBS

Touraj sat down with his family for tea this week during an interview with CBS Colorado. Everything he’s done over the past few decades, including fleeing his home country of Iran, has been for them, he explained. 

“I said, ‘I can’t raise my kids here,’ because they were getting worse and worse,” said Touraj, who asked CBS Colorado not to use his last name. “They forced the woman to wear hijab and all that. They were throwing acid in some people’s faces. So that was when we decided we really have to go.”

However, Touraj grew up in a country worth fighting for, proudly joining the military.

“It was like West, you know, it was free,” he said. “Our religion was free. Everybody could do anything they want.”

That country is a stark contrast from what it’s become.

“You cannot compare it,” Touraj said. “It’s just like comparing the ground to the sky. I mean, it’s just so, so different, so unbelievable.”

He was a young second lieutenant during the revolution and recalls the instant regret the people of Iran had after voting to end the Persian monarchy. 

“A lot of people regret so much what happened in 1979,” Touraj said. “A lot of people regret and say it now, but it’s too late. The generation, the young generation now, is suffering because of our generation. But, of course, they lie about these things. They said we’re going to have a better life; we’re going to have freedom. So some people got deceived and believed it.”

Since leaving, Touraj has watched hopelessly from afar as his people suffered. 

“Every two, three years, there was a protest in Iran, and they had a really brutal regime,” he said. “They just kill everybody … and everybody forget. Everybody forgot. The whole world forgot about Iran.”

Now, Touraj says he’s thankful and hopeful for the involvement of the United States, while recognizing the sacrifice our military has made.

“United States always stands for freedom,” Touraj said. “They were always preaching for freedom. So maybe this is one of the best time to do that, to help Iranian people to get rid of this regime. So we are very appreciative of what’s happening right now, and I hope get the result we want.

The Persian New Year is March 20, and Touraj is hopeful they’ll be celebrating a free Iran to start the year. In order to move forward, he believes the current regime’s rule must end. 

“They are just fanatics. They are just like ISIS, but they have the government in their hand,” Touraj said. “I think everybody is ready for freedom, for democracy. Nobody is going to accept any more dictatorship after this everybody is aware now.”

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