Iranian-Nevadans React to Khamenei's Death and U.S.-Israeli Strikes on Iran
Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the fall of Shah Pahlavi, a large wave of Iranians emigrated to the United States. The Iranian (also known as Persian) population in the U.S. is estimated at approximately 519,000 people. Roughly half, about 224,000, live in California. In Nevada, the Iranian-American community is much smaller, estimated at about 6,300 people (roughly 0.19% of the state's population), and is primarily concentrated in the Las Vegas area.
Iranian in Nevada have reacted to the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury. The operation resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had been Iran's supreme leader since 1989.
After the strikes, people gathered near the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas for a rally. Participants waved pre-1979 Iranian flags and expressed joy and relief. They described the event as a step toward regime change and greater freedom in Iran. Several shared personal accounts of leaving Iran due to oppression after the 1979 revolution.
Simone Derayeh, a Las Vegas resident and Iranian political activist, highlighted excitement from her friends and family in Iran who sent messages celebrating the U.S. operation and Khamenei's killing, per coverage on 8NewsNow (KLAS).
Ellie and Ali Donboli, a Las Vegas-based Iranian-American family, spoke about reports of street celebrations and reactions inside Iran following Khamenei's death in a News 3 Las Vegas interview.
Ati Hakimi, a local Iranian-American doctor, expressed feelings of elation, relief, and happiness, calling it a "Berlin Wall moment" in the Las Vegas Review-Journal article about the rally.
There were also opposing protests in Nevada. Some groups held counter-demonstrations criticizing the strikes as an unjustified escalation that risked broader regional conflict and casualties. These included known anti-Trump organizations such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Indivisible Las Vegas.
The situation in Iran continues to develop following the strikes, Iranian responses, and questions about future leadership.
While the Iranian community in Nevada is relatively small, it remains a noteworthy factor in the state's closely contested elections, where even modest voting blocs can influence outcomes in tight races. Nevada Political Journal has previously covered various demographic and interest-based voting groups that shape Nevada politics, including the state's diverse Christian population, Mormons, Jewish residents, military-affiliated voters, Green Party members, Independent American Party (IAP) supporters, nonpartisans, immigrants, and union workers. These groups often receive attention due to their size, turnout patterns, or issue priorities in a perennial swing state.
