Houston’s Iranian-American community divided at Galleria-area protest after strikes

HOUSTON, Texas - The intersection of Post Oak Boulevard and Westheimer Road became a focal point for Houston’s Iranian American community Saturday as news of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran triggered a wave of clashing demonstrations.

Iran protest in Houston

Hundreds gathered in the Uptown district throughout the day, following the launch of "Operation Epic Fury," a joint military campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. 

While some corners of the busy intersection were filled with chants for peace, others were marked by celebrations of the regime's potential collapse.

Caleb Kurowski, a local protester, stood with a group demanding an immediate end to the military action. Kurowski cited both the human cost abroad and the economic cost at home as his primary motivations.

What they're saying:

"I am out here because I do not want to see my country go to war yet again to sink trillions of dollars into something that's not going to help anybody," Kurowski said. 

He pointed to reports of civilian casualties in Iran, including a strike on a school, and contrasted the military spending with local issues. 

"In Houston, it was announced that HISD is going to close 12 schools. We could take that money and renovate our schools here instead."

The other side:

Directly across the street, the mood was vastly different. Kiani Komizi, an Iranian American living in Houston, joined a crowd thanking the U.S. administration for the intervention. For Komizi, the strikes represent a long-awaited chance for liberation after 47 years of what she described as living like a "hostage" under the Islamic Republic.

"We just want this Islamic Republic regime to be gone," Komizi said. "We cannot thank enough that how we are hoping that we get all freedom back."

The divide even extended to those who agree on the need for regime change but disagree on the method. Karim Zangeneh, representing the Iranian-American community of Texas and the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said his group supports a "secular republic" but opposes foreign military intervention.

"We are against the war. We don't want the appeasement," Zangeneh said. "We want the Iranian people to be able to change the regime with themselves... they are the boots on the ground."

The demonstration remained largely peaceful, though Houston police maintained a heavy presence to keep the opposing groups separated. 

As the sun set, the chants continued to echo through Uptown, serving as a reminder that for thousands of Houstonians, the conflict in the Middle East is not just a foreign policy matter, but a deeply personal crisis.