Iranians in South Florida Hopeful After Military Strikes in Iran

Some Iranians living in the Miami area express optimism about the recent U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Some Iranians living in South Florida are feeling hopeful and joyful following the recent military strikes conducted by the U.S. and Israel in Iran. Sandra Madjdi, who was born in Tehran in the 1970s and later fled the country, says she feels this is a "dream come true" and that she is optimistic about the potential for regime change in Iran. Madjdi recounts her own experiences of being forced into hiding and even briefly returning to Iran as an 18-year-old, where she was arrested and brutalized by the regime.

Why it matters

The military strikes in Iran have sparked mixed reactions among the Iranian diaspora, with some like Madjdi expressing hope for positive change, while others may have more complex or conflicted feelings. The views of Iranians living in the U.S. provide insight into how geopolitical events in Iran are being perceived and interpreted by those with personal connections to the country.

The details

Madjdi was born in Tehran in the 1970s but was forced into hiding when the regime took over. She later had the opportunity to go to Italy and become a refugee. At one point, she even tried to return to Iran at age 18, but was arrested, brutalized, and taunted by the regime, ultimately having to pay money to get out. Madjdi says the recent news that Ayatollah Khamenei was killed still doesn't feel real, but she is "joyful" and "hopeful" about the potential for positive change. She says she didn't want violence, but acknowledges that conflict is often necessary for historical events to shift. Madjdi is hopeful for a regime change in Iran and for the country to unite with the U.S., Israel, and others in "harmony and in peace."

  • Madjdi was born in Tehran in the 1970s.
  • Madjdi tried to return to Iran at age 18.

The players

Sandra Madjdi

A woman born in Tehran in the 1970s who was forced into hiding when the regime took over, later becoming a refugee in Italy. She tried to return to Iran at age 18 but was arrested, brutalized, and taunted by the regime.

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What they’re saying

“Bliss, Freedom, being able to talk to you, and being dressed this way. Peace and freedom and just normal, normalcy.”

— Sandra Madjdi (CBS News Miami)

“I am joyful, hopeful. I feel like this was like a dream come true. We never thought this would happen. I thought I would die and hope, just like my dad died, hoping for this day.”

— Sandra Madjdi (CBS News Miami)

“Let's be clear. In every historical event when anything shifted, there has to be conflict.”

— Sandra Madjdi (CBS News Miami)

“No one talked about 100,000 people, slaughtered, imprisoned, tortured and just wanting basic human rights.”

— Sandra Madjdi (CBS News Miami)

“We're beautiful. We're prosperous. We want to unite with you, America, israel, with Palestine, with everyone. We want to be together as one in harmony and in peace. We're done with these people who've done nothing but fund violence, to invoke violence on its own,, and use its own people as shields.”

— Sandra Madjdi (CBS News Miami)

The takeaway

The reactions of Iranians living in South Florida, like Sandra Madjdi, provide a window into how the recent military strikes in Iran are being perceived by the Iranian diaspora. While the events have sparked mixed feelings, some express hope that this could lead to positive change and regime transition in Iran, even as they acknowledge the potential for continued conflict.