LOS ANGELES — The Persian Cultural Center in Westwood has become an unlikely battleground for debates that mirror the geopolitical tensions thousands of miles away. Iranian Americans gather weekly to discuss the escalating conflict between their adopted homeland and the country of their birth.

Community leaders report unprecedented fractures within what was once a largely unified diaspora. Some members back Washington's military intervention alongside Israeli forces, viewing it as necessary to end the Islamic Republic's regional influence. Others condemn the campaign, fearing for family members still residing in Iran's major cities.

"We're seeing families split down the middle," said Dr. Kamran Hosseini, director of the Iranian American Cultural Association. "Children who fled the revolution now find themselves defending policies that directly impact their parents and siblings back home." The division has extended beyond political discussions into social gatherings, business partnerships, and even marriages within the tight-knit community.

Professor Sarah Rahimi of UCLA's Center for Near Eastern Studies notes that this internal discord represents a broader challenge for diaspora communities during wartime. "Iranian Americans are navigating dual identities in ways that previous generations never experienced," she explained. "The community's response will likely influence how future immigrant populations engage with US foreign policy decisions affecting their countries of origin."