President Donald Trump has warned of potential involvement in Iran, and protesters in Houston expressed mixed feelings about the role the U.S. could play.<\/p>\n
HOUSTON \u2014 An estimated 3,500 people gathered Sunday afternoon in Houston\u2019s Galleria area, calling for an end to Iran\u2019s ruling regime and voicing concern for family members amid deadly protests overseas<\/a>.<\/p>\n Demonstrators lined all four corners at the intersection of Westheimer Rd. and Post Oak Blvd. They waved flags as cars passed by, honking in support, and they screamed out several chants, including \u201cFreedom for Iran!\u201d and \u201cDemocracy for Iran!\u201d<\/p>\n The protest brought together Iranians who fled their home country, Iranian Americans and supporters from across the Houston area, many of whom said their reasons for attending were deeply personal.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father came here in 1978. He had to flee because of the collapsing government,\u201d Houston resident Brian Shajari said.<\/p>\n Shajari attended the demonstration, holding a photograph of his father. He said the protest represented both his father\u2019s wish and his own hope for the future.<\/p>\n \u201cHe died last year. This is all he wanted to ever see here, and so, I\u2019m representing him today, and myself obviously, because I\u2019ve never met my family there. And I hope this changes,\u201d Shajari said.<\/p>\n The Houston rally came as protests in Iran have intensified in recent weeks. They are some of the biggest protests in years to challenge the regime, and activists have said the demonstrations have turned deadly.<\/p>\n Protesters in Houston said communication disruptions in Iran, including internet and phone shutdowns, have left them fearful for loved ones still in the country.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all want a regime change. There is so much cost already. There are so many people killed. I can\u2019t get in touch with my family. I don\u2019t know how my 84-year-old mom is doing in Iran, my sisters, my nephews, niece, all of them are in Iran. Sorry I\u2019m getting emotional talking about it,\u201d Houston resident Esmat Nikkhah, who fled Iran years ago, said.<\/p>\n For many at the protest, the emotions ranged from grief to anger.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re outraged. We have family members in Iran right now being murdered while there\u2019s an internet blackout, so we\u2019re here. We\u2019re being their voice,\u201d Houston resident Layla Assani said.<\/p>\n Protesters also expressed mixed feelings about the role the United States could play in the ongoing conflict. President Donald Trump has warned of possible U.S. intervention in Iran, and a senior U.S. official confirmed that the president has been briefed on new options for military strikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Those recent developments come as questions linger about overall U.S. involvement abroad, especially following recent actions in Venezuela and the ousting of its leader. Some demonstrators said they fear military escalation and hope change can come in Iran without war.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are hoping we don\u2019t get that far. We\u2019re hoping that we don\u2019t need any military, none of the Iranians, nobody here wants any military attack on Iran,\u201d Nikkhah said.<\/p>\n Another woman, who fled Iran 30 years ago, said she wanted international support \u2013 but not violence.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want war. We don\u2019t want war. But we need help. We need some kind of help,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Shajari echoed that sentiment, saying protesters are hoping for a brighter future.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just want to see a peaceful transition, a restoration of democracy to where people can think for themselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Everyone in the crowd, whether they were born in Iran or in the United States to Iranian parents, reflected a shared message and a collective hope that their voices in Houston will shed light on the escalating tensions half a world away.<\/p>\n