Joy and despair go hand in hand – this is how Iranians in Finland react to the bombings in their homeland
Iranian residents in Finland express emotional distress and fear for their families amid ongoing bombings in Iran.
The article reports on the responses of Iranian expatriates living in Finland in light of the recent bombings in their homeland by the US and Israel. One interviewee, a woman named Parvaneh from Tampere, shares her emotional struggle as she remains unable to communicate with family members in Iran due to disrupted internet services. The conflict has heightened her anxiety as she hears first-hand accounts of violence and instability directly affecting her loved ones.
Parvaneh recounts checking her phone in the morning only to receive alarming news from her cousin, who was in a hospital undergoing surgery while hearing explosions nearby. This narrative illustrates the direct impact of foreign military actions on family members who remain in Iran. Her feelings of helplessness are compounded by the communication blackout, which has severely limited her ability to reach out to her brother and parents, leaving her even more anxious about their safety.
The article further discusses the broader implications of the situation for Iranian communities abroad, who often feel torn between joy and despair—celebrating their lives in a new country while fearing for loved ones back home. The fear of escalation in violence complicates their emotional landscape, marrying their experiences of life in Finland with a deep concern for their homeland's turmoil, resulting in a complex interplay of emotional states among Iranians in Finland.