(Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum / CFJC Today)

By Curtis Goodrum

KAMLOOPS IRAN GATHERINGS

Elation in Kamloops’ Iranian community after death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Mar 2, 2026 | 2:22 PM

KAMLOOPS — Over the weekend, the United States of America and Israel launched multiple airstrikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at his compound. U.S. President Donald Trump on social media urged the people of Iran to rise and take control of their government.

Celebrations were held in communities across Canada – including Kamloops – as members of the local Iranian community are hopeful that a regime change is soon to come.

“We have Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as the leader of this revolution, a revolution of the lion and sun,” said Vahab, a member of the Kamloops Iranian Community. “As the regime’s operation forces is gone, the people of Iran will come out and take possession of the state.”

“We will call for Crown Prince Pahlavi to establish a democratic transition.”

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Many awoke to the news of the death of the Ayatollah over the weekend, and for most Iranians in Kamloops, it’s a moment they have spent most of, if not their entire lives, waiting for.

“We feel bad for people in Iran but we still don’t have communication with our families in Iran,” added Hero, who said he’s excited for the future. “It’s just not about the excitement, it’s about the moment that we approached the goal that we have had for about 47 years.”

There is still worry for family and people still in Iran as the war expands to several fronts. Israel and the United States are firing at Iran, while Iran and its allies, including Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, have fired missiles at Israel, Arab states and U.S. military targets in the area.

“We can connect with them because the internet has been down for the last two days. We say ‘Hi. How are you?’ and they say, ‘We are good now.’ There is not any good connection with Iran,” said Alireza, who hopes to connect with his family soon.

Another member, Ali, also told CFJC that while many members of the Iranian diaspora are optimistic about a regime change, the situation is far from resolved.

“I believe its going to be a little bit horrific again,” he said. “Something tells me again we’re going to witness stuff against human rights and humanism. Possibly, this is happening right now.”

But Ali also added that people in the Iranian community are “feeling their happiness that they’ve always expected to feel.”

“I can say that in a new free Iran nobody will talk about enemies, nobody will take about threats, nobody will talk about extremism or radicalism,” he said. “In Iran, there is going to be diversity back again. There is going to be peace.”