‘We do not accept him,’: Omaha residents from Iran react to new supreme leader

WOWT Iranian President Local Reaction

By Andrew Pfeifer

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Iranian state television has announced that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, will succeed his father as the country’s next supreme leader.

Mojtaba Khamenei will be the third supreme leader of Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. He had long been considered in line for the post, even before an Israeli strike killed his father. He has never held a government position.

Omaha residents from Iran react

Two Omaha residents who spent significant portions of their lives in Iran said they are angry about the appointment.

Ahmad Nazar, owner of Ahmad’s Persian Cuisine in Omaha, said the selection was not made by the Iranian people.

“It’s not picked by Iranian people so we do not accept him, we do not want him,” Nazar said. “I don’t think the United States wants him either so we are hoping someone else comes along.”

Malihe Zarei, who lived in Iran for 30 years before coming to the United States, said she has witnessed the oppression of Iranian citizens firsthand.

“People of Iran are living in very very sad situations,” Zarei said. “People are digging in the trashcans to find food. People may not be happy for what’s happening in the United States, they call it a war, but we call it a rescue mission.”