Iranian students navigate severed contact with family

Several Iranian students at the University of Maryland are frozen with grief for family and friends living in their home country amid the Iran War.

Students are overwhelmed with emotions as Operation Epic Fury, the Trump administration’s military campaign, escalates into its fourth week.

The operation commenced when U.S. and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran early Feb. 28. In the weeks following the strikes, Iran has responded with missile attacks on Israeli, the U.S. and allied targets across the region. Since the start of the war, people living in the country have had to adapt to airstrikes and regime violence, such as internet blackouts and surveillance. 

Maria Rezaee, an Iranian student and freshman cell biology and genetics major, said that she wasn’t shocked about the war because the Iranian people have experienced this before, but is worried about her family, whom she can barely contact. 

“I’m privileged to be here. My family escaped to be here, and I have a chance at a good education,” Rezaee said. “I kind of feel guilty because my family in Iran is struggling and I can’t really do anything to help them.” 

Rezaee said that while the war is stressful for everyone, she believes that most felt it was inevitable. 

Iranian freshman architecture major, Mani Etemadi, said that while his concerns are not immediate since he is safe, the idea of not knowing what is happening overshadows. 

“The possibility of the same thing happening looms over your head,” Etemadi said. “Communication is difficult right now…It’s like you’re waiting for the moment to hear bad news.”

Etemadi said he has friends in the country who are sometimes able to message and give him updates.

“It’s hard to know exactly what’s happening. It’s hard to know moment by moment how they’re doing, what they’re going through,” Etemadi said.

Maxx Margob, an Iranian American graduate student, echoed Etemadi’s worry and confusion during the recent strikes. 

Margob couldn’t contact his family in Iran. 

“When we finally did get a connection, it was very brief. It was like, ‘We’re okay, thank you. Love you,’ and there was a lot of concern about possible wiretapping,” he said.

Mani Javanbakht, an Iranian and a freshman architecture major, said that the waves of limbo leave a lot of uncertainty for Iranian students at the university, but there are ways to stay strong.

“Right now, just showing up for friends, family, people and classmates is important, and I wish that more people would just check in on their classmates and keep them in the loop,” Javanbakht said. 

Iranian students seeking support while navigating the conflict can attend general body meetings hosted by the Iranian Students’ Foundation, a collective where they can find the solidarity Javanbakht described.

“ISF has really been trying to reach out to the community, hear voices and join and just try to create a space where people feel safe,” Margob said.