BELLEVUE—
A crowd gathered in Bellevue Sunday afternoon to send a message of support to people protesting in Iran. Dozens filled the street corners at Bellevue Way and 4th holding signs and chanting slogans such as "free Iran".The group wore green and black and said it's time for a regime change in Iran. Sunday's event comes on the heels of Saturday's Iranian Festival and a candlelight vigil held at the Univeristy of Washington on Friday.
While they are united in supporting the people of Iran there are mixed opinions on how much the U.S. government should get involved. Some say it's important for President Obama to stay away from the conflict. They believe if he speaks out in support of the protestors the government will use that to weaken their strength within Iran. Others believe without U.S. involvement, the leaders will go unchecked. They fear thousands could be arrested, beaten or killed for protesting the election results.
Shayan Arya fled Iran in the early 80's. He said without US pressure the hardline government will terrorize those who protested and cut-off communication with the outside world. "They will go ahead with their nuclear program and we'll have another North Korea in the Persian Gulf" Arya said.
Many who attended Sunday's rally felt it was important for the Obama administration to hold Iranian leaders accountable. "He needs to make a stand against the regime, make it very clear violation of human rights in Iran is violation to human rights anywhere in the world" Hossein Khorram tells Q13 Fox News.
Many of those protesting in Iran are young people. Early Sunday, CNN interviewed a woman who was identified as a 19-year-old protestor from Iran. She said she was clubbed by police as she tried to run away. The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she did not protest on Sunday because of her injuries. "I couldn't go out because my foot was injured and I couldn't run anymore" she said. The woman went on to say "I was sure if i go out, I'm going to die."
Republicans intensified their criticism of President Barack Obama's handling of the Iran crisis. They say he has been too cautious in response to the postelection upheaval. "The president of the United States is supposed to lead the free world, not follow it," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "He's been timid and passive more than I would like."
But in an interview released Sunday, Obama argued: "The last thing that I want to do is to have the United States be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States. We shouldn't be playing into that."
