ORLANDO, Fla. — We are continuing to follow developments in Iran. Channel 9 spoke with local Democratic and Republican lawmakers who have reactions from both sides of the aisle.
“I have aunts, uncles, and cousins; my grandmother is there in Tehran,” Democratic State Rep. Anna Eskamani said. “We are carrying two worlds right now. Watching and waiting and worried about your family.”
That was her reaction to the war in Iran. While she said she is happy with the death of its supreme leader, she said she must balance her feelings with her duty as an elected official.
“The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is one that is celebrated by many, including myself,” Eskamani said. “This is a brutal dictatorship. I have a lot of concern when it comes to the U.S. history of prolonged wars, de-civilization of entire regions, innocent civilians losing their lives, and our service members being in harm’s way.”
Republican Congressman Mike Haridopolis also reacted to the war in the Middle East.
“Unfortunately, I think the action was necessary,” Haridopolis said. “We do not support boots on the ground; this is about destroying the Iranian government’s ability to wreak havoc in the region and also weakening them so the people of Iran, who want freedom, can take their country back.”
Haridopolis said while a timeline remains unclear, he believes toppling the Iranian regime can bring a sense of freedom to the region.
“We believe the end result will be a stable Middle East, which has been a detriment my entire lifetime,” Haridopolis said. “We need to act with strength because this regime will do anything to stay in power.”
Both Eskamani and Haridopolis hope the safety of our military remains a priority.
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