- Title: USA: Iranian election results elicit muted reaction from Los Angeles expats
- Date: 14th June 2009
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 12, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF STOREFRONTS ALONG AREA DUBBED "TEHRANGELES" (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) FARZAD YOUNESI SAYING: "I believe all of the conservatives are losing ground and moderates are turning back to be the voice for Iran especially with Obama giving the [unintelligible] message to Iranian people, that has created a better momentum, a positive momentum, so the country is going towards the right direction." PEOPLE WALKING INTO IRANIAN LANGUAGE BOOKSTORE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROBIN STAN SAYING: "Well obviously with Ahmadinejad we have a history of anti-American, anti-Israel politics. I guess you're hoping for the new moderate to take over so that would be a helpful for the relations with the West especially with the nuclear weapon situation, so you're hoping that the more moderate person would win so that it would open relations between the West and Iran." CARS DRIVING DOWN BOULEVARD (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) ALI LIMONADI, OPERATOR OF AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN SATELLITE TELEVISION STATION, SAYING: "I have had the Iranian television for thirty years. I don't want to support the Iranian regime in Iran but my people in Iran are very clear, they like to do that and we support them." PEOPLE SEATED IN PERSIAN RESTAURANT (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRANIAN-AMERICAN GOING BY THE NAME 'ESLAM THE COMIC' SAYING: "As long as they can separate church and state it would be a great thing for the country, that's what I'm wishing for the Iranian people, but regardless, whoever is chosen, they have to answer to the supreme leader of the country which is a religious figure. It's like the Italian president is chosen but has to answer to the Pope. I wish the Iranian people well because they need it, it's been thirty years." VARIOUS OF BOOKSTORE WINDOWS PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STREET
- Embargoed: 29th June 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVADC9RZNCIBVCE44XJMRURNN3K9
- Story Text: The subject of the Iranian election was very much on the minds of hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles residents on Friday (June 12).
As southern California is home to the world's largest Iranian expatriate community, many have a personal stake in the outcome, yet people were restrained in their reactions, hopeful for change but looking for it in an enlightened electorate not in any one candidate. Many also had a direct impact on the results, as the election was open to expats and their offspring with authentic Iranian paperwork.
On a stretch of Westwood Boulevard dubbed 'Tehrangeles,' not far from the sprawling University of California campus, Iranian-Americans flock to the markets, bookstores and restaurants that remind them of home. Farzad Younesi was taking a walk with his wife as he expressed hope in a new Iran he sees in the immediate future. "I believe all of the conservatives are losing ground and moderates are turning back to be the voice for Iran especially with Obama giving the [unintelligible] message to Iranian people, that has created a better momentum, a positive momentum, so the country is going towards the right direction."
Robin Stan spoke of the hopes for a change in the presidency. "Well obviously with Ahmadinejad we have a history of anti-American, anti-Israel politics. I guess you're hoping for the new moderate to take over so that would be a helpful for the relations with the West especially with the nuclears weapon situation, so you're hoping that the more moderate person would win so that it would open relations between the West and Iran."
Down the street, the election was no laughing matter for a man going by the name of Eslam the Comic.
"As long as they can separate church and state it would be a great thing for the country, that's what I'm wishing for the Iranian people, but regardless, whoever is chosen, they have to answer to the supreme leader of the country which is a religious figure. It's like the Italian president is chosen but has to answer to the Pope. I wish the Iranian people well because they need it, it's been thirty years." Eslam declined to say whether he had cast a ballot. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
