Iranians in Manitoba concerned about loved ones amid escalating war – Winnipeg | Globalnews.ca
There are thousands of miles between Majid Kermani and his family, but they couldn’t be closer to top of mind as the war in Iran rages on.
“All the bombing and internet disconnection and all the hardship that this war has brought them, it’s very hard to live in that situation,” Kermani told Global News.
Majid Kermani and his mother-in-law, wife, and mother in Iran. His mother, siblings, and his wife’s family are currently in Iran. He says he worries for their safety every day.
Josh Arason / Global News
He says communication with his family is sparse amid the internet blackout in Iran.
“It’s a very stressful situation,” he said.
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“Every day that you wake up, we don’t know if our family members or many people that are in Iran are safe or not.”
It’s a similar scenario for Bijan Babaie, who moved to Manitoba from Iran in 2021.
“In the last 40 days, only three times we have received a call from home in Iran, and all the call is this, ‘Don’t worry, we are safe.’ Only this. And it’s cut and you cannot hear anymore,” Babaie told Global News.
Bijan Babaie moved to Manitoba from Iran in 2021.
Josh Arason / Global News
He says the impact of the war is difficult to fathom.
“We lived in war, we about 30 years ago had a war with Iraq, we lived in war,” Babaie said.
“War is a special situation. You cannot imagine. (It’s) a special situation and every day and every night we are thinking from our family now.”
Kermani is hoping for a peaceful resolution that can help keep innocent loved ones, like this 79-year-old mother, out of harm’s way.
“You feel the pain, but you have no remedy for it,” Kermani said.
“Like my mom, she’s under this pain and I can’t do anything for it. That’s very sad.”
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