Iranian Australians' Fears Amid Middle East Conflict

0:00I'm Cory, and this is your Pulse of the City, Adelaide News today. South Australia's Iranian community gathers weekly outside Parliament House to stand in solidarity with loved ones back home amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. One regular protester is Samira Shamarting, the first female journalist from Iran to cover a FIFA World Cup who moved to Adelaide in 2020. 23 and now calls it home. Since the United States and Israel started bombing Iran last Saturday, Shamarting gets daily calls from her family to check on their safety, but the conversations often last just seconds. Her relatives face tear gas during protests earlier this year, and now internet blackouts make reliable updates scarce. For many in the community, including Islamic society president Ahmed Zerika, the war hits close to home with family ties across Lebanon, Palestine, and beyond. That's her disrupted, and evacuations in places like Beirut add to the worry, turning distant news into personal heartache.

1:02Shamarty has become her family's go-to news source, as state media in Iran paints a false picture of victories while blocking outside access. She contrasts the peaceful Iranian people with the oppressive regime, holding out hope for real change. For her new life and value view, which reminds her of northern Iran, Shamarty feels torn happy at the prospect of freedom for her country, but sad, over its painful history. She's grateful for Australia's freedoms, where her young son can build a brighter future. The daily news now is presented by our sponsor, LinkedIn the description. Some people meditate, I just lay down and press play, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com.