By Elizabeth Lee, VOA
Iranian-American stores in Los Angles
Watch related video by VOA
LOS ANGELES - In the heart of Persian Square, in West Los Angeles, everyone
is getting ready for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, when family members visit
each other. Normally it's the busy season for the travel agencies that cater to
the Iranian community.
But not this year.
"They ask us questions more than they make reservation," said Sherry Tahouri,
owner of Shahrezad Tour and Travel.
Tahouri caters mostly to the Iranian Community in Los Angeles, many of whom
still have family in Iran.
President Donald Trump's revised executive order banning travelers who do not
currently have visas from six Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S.
for three months is scheduled to take effect on March 16.Among the six countries
on the travel order is Iran.
Even before it takes effect, the order is disrupting Nowruz travel plans. "Most
people when they purchase their ticket, they are purchasing a non-refundable
ticket, the lowest fare and in that case, they were asking, 'We need our refund
because we're scared to go there. We don't want to go,'" said Farhad Besharati,
owner of Travel ATT.
He said Iranian Americans, even those who are U.S. citizens are afraid to travel
or go to Iran because of Trump's executive order. Even though it doesn't apply to
U.S. citizens, they fear another change in the travel rules.
"It's about 40 years after Iran's revolution. A lot of people that are here,
their relatives getting older and older, so they cannot (see them)," said
journalist Reza Goharzad.
'State sponsor of terrorism'
According to the executive order: "Iran has been designated as a state sponsor of
terrorism since 1984 and continues to support various terrorist groups,
including Hizballah, Hamas and terrorist groups in Iraq...Iran does not cooperate
with the United States in counterterrorism efforts."
Trump supporters applaud the measure.
"We've been invaded by, you know, refugees from all over, you know from Europe
and, you know, from our - from countries like Syria and Iran. And we - they have
to be vetted, they have to be," insisted LA resident Maureen Martin.
But Iranian Americans have never been the source of terrorism in the United
States, says journalist Goharzad. "Terror happened in the United States happened
by Saudi Arabians. Happened by people from Pakistan, happened by people from
different countries, Muslim countries that are not on the list, and they are
allied to the United States."
While Iran is not a U.S. ally, Goharzad says many of its people are. "You have
to separate the government's account with the people. My people they are under
the big pressure of the dictatorship in Iran. So, don't put government's fault
on the people."
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Iranian students
Varun Soni, dean of religious life at the University of Southern California
(USC), points out that Muslims are not the only Iranians likely to be caught up
in the travel order.
"We have a very large Iranian community here in Los Angeles, including a large
Iranian Jewish community and a large Iranian Bahai community," he said.
Rose Youssefi is in the medical field at USC, and she says the order's effect on
Iranian students will be "devastating."
"There's a lot of students in medicine have been caught and can't come back.
They have pending residencies, pending degrees waiting for them and they can't
return," she says. "It's not fair at all. It's heart breaking."
Travel agency owner Besharati said that pending any action in the courts - the
travel order is being contested by a number of states- there is nothing to do
but be patient with President Trump's order.
"We have to give him a chance for some months, some time, at least maybe he can
prove he was right about this decision."
In the meantime, journalist Goharzad seeks solace and wisdom from Persian poet
Hafez.
"He says it never stay the same way as it was, and it will not stay the same way
as it is. Everything will change."
Amnesty International is among the
groups protesting the travel ban
... Payvand News - 03/15/17 ... --