Local members of the Iranian community in Surrey and White Rock can only watch and hope as their home country erupts in turmoil.
Although protests against Iran’s Islamic theocratic regime have been happening across the country since Dec. 28, they appear to have slowed since deadly crackdowns by authorities have reportedly killed thousands of protesters.
Those in the local Iranian community — including White Rock and South Surrey and across the Lower Mainland — are showing their support for those demonstrating against the country’s Islamic regime, which took power by overthrowing the previous government during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Hundreds of protests have erupted across all 31 provinces of the Middle Eastern country since late December, over economic hardship facing the country, including the collapse of Iran’s rial currency and a 40 per cent annual inflation rate.
As of Sunday (Jan. 18), the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 3,919 people have been killed during the protests, while an additional 8,949 deaths are still under HRANA investigation.
“Additionally, 2,109 people have been severely injured, and the number of confirmed detainees has reached 24,669. Alongside these developments, numerous reports have emerged of increased pressure on families, difficulties in handing over the bodies of those killed, and the continuation of a heavy security atmosphere in some regions,” the HRANA post said.
Following more than 10 days of an almost complete internet shutdown across the country, reports are emerging of limited and unstable internet connectivity in some parts of the country, HRANA said, with the intermittent connections revealing the broader scope of the crackdown and killings.
For the local families of those living in Iran, not being able to speak to their family and friends, or find out what’s going on, has been unimaginably difficult.
“It’s been 10 days that I haven’t heard from my family,” Siamak Pourhabib said Friday (Jan. 16), having stopped by the Peace Arch News with a handful of Iranian community members living in South Surrey and White Rock. “I have my mother, my sister, my brother … most of them are there. It’s hard to work … it’s hard to live,” he shared, his voice full of emotion. “We are so far from them.”
Mostafa Sabeti, who owns and operates a martial arts gym in South Surrey and has represented Canada internationally as wushu head coach, said it is important for Iranians living outside their home country to support those living through all the turmoil.
“It is really important that we show our solidarity and empathy with our people in Iran,” he said, noting the country did not vote for the governing Islamic regime, and were cut off from the outside world with a complete internet blackout since Jan. 8, although there are current reports (as of Jan. 19) of sporadic, unstable internet connectivity.
It has also been difficult, if not impossible, to reach family and friends in Iran by phone.
Sabeti noted those protesting are risking their lives, as the Islamic regime has declared protesters to be mohareb (enemies of God), a charge that carries the death penalty.
“People with empty hands are marching on the street … they’re asking for basic necessities and freedom,” he said, adding the country has suffered for many years under the current regime.
“The people are saying, ‘Enough is enough. We want more. We want our basic necessities for living. We want back up. We want our freedom.’ Then the government get more aggressive. ‘OK, now you’re talking about freedom, you’re against us.’”
Anoush Ebtekar noted local news is reporting things are calming down in Iran, but doubts how accurate those reports are.
“You see on the news now, the American reports are saying it seems to be calm down on the streets and all that. But when you talk to your family — I have friends that have Starlink — they say it hasn’t calmed down,” Ebtekar shared. “They have army tanks and armoured personnel all over the city. If you step outside, they shoot you. They said even if you’re giving birth right now, if you have a heart attack, you’re better off staying at home because if you go outside, they’re going to shoot you.”
Sam, Ekbeter’s son, said he feels very lucky to have been born in Canada.
“I’ve seen a lot of horrible stories about the government and what they’ve done to our people. … I’ve never experienced it, but when I see people’s stories from my father and his experiences in Iran or from (others), I’m just horrified.”
All of those who visited Peace Arch News emphasized how many people linked to the Iranian regime have entered Canada and are living in Canada — all over B.C., Vancouver, West Vancouver and North Vancouver included — with what they call “blood money,” or money that they say belongs to the people of Iran.
“I don’t expect to Canada to become a safe haven for anyone tied to the government,” noted Hamid Sayah, another Semiahmoo Peninsula resident. “I came here after my son was born because I didn’t want him to go through what I went through.”
Sabeti agreed.
“This money belongs to the Iranian people. This is a blood money,” he said.
The Government of Canada has already designated that prescribed senior officials in the Iranian regime from June 23, 2003, and onwards are inadmissible to Canada, as it has identified the Islamic Republic of Iran as a regime that has engaged in terrorism or systematic or gross human rights violations.
As of Dec. 4, 2025, the federal government has reported that 24 people are inadmissible to Canada for being a senior official in the Iranian regime.
Still, that’s no real consolation for people hoping anxiously to hear from family and friends in Iran.
“For the last two weeks, I have had no connection with my family (in Iran),” Sabeti said Friday (Jan. 16), adding that suffering is an everyday occurrence for the Iranian people.
“The people of Iran … get murdered every day. They get killed every day. And they’re hanging more people every day with no trial — no fair trial.”
Several gatherings of support for those protesting the Islamic regime in Iran have happened across B.C. since Dec. 28, including in Vancouver and Kelowna.
Peace Arch News has reached out to Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab.
— with files from Kelowna Capital News