NEW YORK — Roozbeh Farahanipour, a 54-year-old Iranian dissident living in Los Angeles, has spent more than two decades in exile. Despite the 7,600-mile distance from his native Iran, he still feels the weight of threats. Farahanipour fled Iran in 2000 after being sentenced to death, leaving behind the Marz-e Por Gohar opposition party he founded. Yet, even in the US, he has not escaped the risks of his activism. Over the years, he has experienced multiple incidents, including slashed tires and gunfire at his restaurant, which he attributes to his political work.

The Dual Fear of Dissidents

With the recent US-led war against Iran, Farahanipour and others like him face new uncertainties. Since the conflict began on February 28, many Iranian dissidents have expressed concern about their safety both in the US and in Iran. According to Negar Razavi, a scholar at Princeton University’s Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies, dissidents now live in an atmosphere of “dual fear.”

Razavi said, “There is a sense that nowhere is really safe for them. They’re neither safe here, nor are they safe back home.” Her research highlights that the war has created an environment where dissidents feel vulnerable regardless of their location. She pointed to recent actions by the Trump administration, which deported over 100 Iranians, many of whom were refugees or asylum seekers. These deportations have left many dissidents fearful for their safety.

Farahanipour, who initially welcomed the war, now has doubts. He celebrated the death of Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader of Iran, but worries that the conflict might not bring lasting change. He fears that dissidents in the US could be targeted as retribution, especially with the rise of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the former leader, as the new Iranian leader.

Transnational Threats and Vulnerabilities

The Iranian government has long targeted dissidents abroad, and the situation has only intensified with the war. In January, a Brooklyn man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to kill exiled Iranian activist Masih Alinejad. Prosecutors linked the plot to Iran. Sardar Pashaei, a former wrestler and activist, has also faced threats in the US. He fled Iran in 2010 after years of persecution and has since been targeted for his activism, including a campaign against the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari.

Pashaei said, “The death threats never stop. Even when you live in the United States.” He also revealed that his brother was tortured by the Iranian government in 2023, an incident he believes was linked to his activism. These threats extend beyond the US, with Iranian dissidents in Canada also facing violence. On March 16, two people were charged with the murder of Masood Masjoody, an Iranian dissident in British Columbia. The suspects reportedly had a dispute with Masjoody, who accused them of loyalty to the Khamenei government.

Razavi warned that the heightened tensions and Islamophobic rhetoric in the US could lead to more violence and vigilantism. She pointed to the remarks of some lawmakers, including Representative Andy Ogles, who claimed that “Muslims don’t belong in American society.” Such statements have raised concerns about the safety of Iranian Americans, who are the largest Iranian diaspora community in the world, with over 413,000 people.

Steps to Protect Dissidents

Razavi suggested that the US government could take steps to protect dissidents, both in and out of the country. One such step would be to provide asylum to those seeking political safety. However, this would require reversing the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, which include a ban on Iranians entering the US.

She argued that the escalation of hostile attitudes toward Muslims could lead to violence and vigilantism. Razavi also called for US politicians to curb Islamophobic rhetoric, which has increased since the war began. She said, “The more we don’t trust each other and the more we think so-and-so is working as an agent of the government or so-and-so is going to use violence against us, the more we’re actually going to create the conditions of violence.”

Farahanipour, who has spent years in exile, believes that the war will not bring safety for Iranians, either in the US or in Iran. He said, “As the first supreme leader said, war is always a blessing for this regime.” He believes that the US should withdraw from Iran and allow change to come from within.

Recently, Farahanipour’s seven-year-old son, Damavand, asked if they could visit Iran together. The child is named for Iran’s highest peak, which Farahanipour hopes to show him one day. But he believes that safety in and from Iran remains a distant prospect. “I don’t think so,” Farahanipour told his son. “I don’t think that’s going to happen soon.”