Iranian Community in Australia Faces Strain

Gillian Aeria wrote this article.

The topic is about political ideologies.

It was published on Monday, June 29, 2026, at 4:53 am.

Sara, an Iranian Australian, was called a traitor because she does not support the Iranian monarchy.

She was also called a blood-washer and traitor by her community due to her political views.

Sara is one of many Iranian Australians who face mistrust and harassment from their own community.

Sara felt lonely from her community in the past few months and asked to use a pseudonym.

The term blood-washer refers to covering up deaths during the Iranian government's crackdown on protests.

Sara lost friends because people wrongly thought she worked with the Iranian government.

The label blood-washer is also used to accuse those who do not support Reza Pahlavi, the exiled king's son.

Sara and her family do not support a monarchy, but they also oppose the government.

Sara was arrested and questioned many times by security in Iran.

Her parents and relatives were jailed in Iran for speaking out against the government.

Despite this, her friends accused her of supporting the regime.

Sara thinks the Iranian community in Melbourne is divided.

A monarchist yelled at Sara at a rally, calling her a traitor for not chanting the exiled king's name.

Sara was frozen in fear and could not move or speak.

She is not sure what the man would have done if others had not stopped him.

Sara believes this shows the polarisation within the Australian Iranian community.

People in Iran are very angry and do not know what to do, Sara said.

There is a trust deficit in the community.

Maryam will not be friends with people linked to the Iranian government.

Maryam is a university student who loves her life in Melbourne.

But she is careful about who she befriends due to her family's history of political dissent.

Maryam would never get close to someone connected to the government.

Australian security agencies know the Iranian government tries to silence dissenters abroad.

Journalist Saba Vasefi has documented human rights abuses in Iran and faced backlash.

Iran is home to many ethnicities and language groups, but the regime has divided society.

Maryam said neighbours can be enemies due to different political views.

This mindset has followed people to Australia, even among students.

Social cohesion is under strain.

Kambiz Razmara, a lawyer, has lived in Australia for over 40 years.

He said cultural unity remains strong, but social and political cohesion is fragile.

Many people are uncertain about the extent of hostile actors in the diaspora community.

Razmara said people should be judged on their actions, not the regime they fled.

Allegations of regime-linked interference are hard to verify, but they harm social cohesion.

Decades under an authoritarian government have fuelled distrust in the community.

Differences in opinion can lead to hostile attacks, Razmara said.

Many people come from environments where political disagreement had real consequences.

This can escalate into intimidation and surveillance.

The digital space amplifies misinformation and exacerbates personal damage.

Being born Iranian can be unlucky.

Maryam misses living in the same city as her parents.

She lies in bed and tries not to think about her situation, which is a luxury she cannot afford.

Iranian Australians with family in Iran worry about their loved ones due to internet blackouts.

Maryam's parents live 12,000 kilometres away, and calling them is expensive.

Conversations with her mother are brief and superficial.

Maryam is close to her mother and worries about her parents' safety.

She feels an underlying melancholy due to the emotional weight and pressure to perform academically.

Maryam said being born Iranian is unlucky.

While she has a great network of friends, they cannot relate to her experience.

Her friends listen, but they cannot do much to help.

The suffering of Iranians is overshadowed by oil prices.

The uncertainty of statelessness and family separation contributes to emotional trauma.

What hurts more is the suffering of Iran's people being overshadowed by geopolitics.

Executions continue, dissidents disappear, and families live with hopelessness.

Thousands of Iranians died after the government cracked down on protests.

Many Iranian Australians are hurt by the suspicion they face in Australia.

People want to be judged on their actions, not the regime they fled.

Iranian Australians feel pressured to distinguish themselves from the regime.

Many feel they have been tarred with the same brush as the regime.

To encourage social cohesion, public commentary should stop fuelling populist propaganda.

Iranian Australians are proud of their heritage and their Australian identity.

It was published on Monday, June 29, 2026, at 4:53 am.

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