MEQUON, Wis. — Months before the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Ali Soltani left his home country of Iran at 21 years old. He came to Wisconsin to continue his education and hasn’t been back.
Soltani built a life in the states: a wife, kids and has a good job.
But his heart is still back home, especially when he turns on the television to see the recent events.
“The regime has been very brutal,” said Soltani. “They’re attacking houses, stealing people at night from their houses, shooting people in the city with shotguns and rifles. So far, 400 people have been killed, 20,000 people have been arrested.”
The unrest started with an incident involving 22-year-old Masha Amini.
“She was arrested for improper veil, which we are told she didn’t have improper veil,” said Soltani. “She was hit in the head by someone who was holding her and later on, she collapsed and went into a coma and died.”
He said her death was the final straw for several Iranians.
“This is happening in a time where people are fed up with everything,” said Soltani. “With the lies, with the mismanagement, with the stealing of the money.”
Soltani said protests against the government are growing more frequent, but this time it’s getting more attention because of social media.
“They say don’t call it a protest anymore,” said Soltani. “They said call it a revolution because they don’t think it’s going to stop.”
Soltani met Amir Heidarian when he was attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Heidarian left Iran in 1983 and both are a part of the organization called the Iranian American Community of Wisconsin.
“My heart is in Iran,” said Heidarian. “I have relatives there and I am from there. I am Iranian American. I am proud to be American. I am also proud to be Iranian. What we have here, I want my people to have that in Iran.”
They said there are ways Wisconsinites can help Iran.
“Contact all the congressmen and women to tell them to stop dealing with the Iranian regime, and stand by the people and help them, and put conditions on the Iranian regime and put pressure to stop this madness,” said Soltani.
For now, both will continue to educate and advocate for their home country, hoping change will happen.