BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For many Iranian Americans in Bakersfield, the recent U.S. strike on Iran represents more than a military action — it feels personal.
Zack Bashirtash, a first-generation American born and raised in Bakersfield, said he felt excited when he heard the news.
“I was really happy that something that a lot of the Persian community had been waiting for decades finally came to pass,” Bashirtash said.
Bashirtash’s father immigrated to the United States from Iran in the 1970s, shortly before the Iranian Revolution. He said many Iranian Americans view the strike as a potential turning point — not as a call for American troops to enter another prolonged conflict, but as an opportunity for change led by Iranians themselves.
“They don’t advocate for American boots on the ground,” Bashirtash said. “They don’t want an endless war. It’s completely different than anything that’s happened in history. So I’m happy that they have the opportunity now to go fight for it.”
He described mixed emotions within the community, particularly for those with family still living in Iran.
“I worry about my family that still is there, and you hope that things will be okay,” he said. “But now it’s like, well, you’ve got an opportunity to experience some freedom.”
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Rep. Vince Fong defended the president’s decision, calling the strike strategic and targeted.
“It has been the policy of the United States that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,” Fong said.
Fong said the president has the authority to take such action and emphasized that the strike was deliberate.
“One of the most frustrating things, as a businessman that I see and experience in government, is how long things take to get done,” Bashirtash said. “So I appreciate action being taken — and this was strategic.”
Lawmakers are expected to receive classified briefings in Washington on Tuesday.
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