SANDY, Utah — A Sandy group called "Iranians of Utah" has canceled their cultural festival because of what has happened in their home country over recent weeks. For its founder, Vandad Oladi, it’s hard to look away from what’s unfolding back home.
“You can’t just hide it... we try because of our kids living here,” said Oladi on Tuesday.
Oladi moved from Iran to the U.S. in 2015 after marrying his wife, Vista.
“It doesn’t make sense for us to be dancing here while our family and friends in our home country are not safe,” he said of the group's decision to cancel its festival.
On Sunday, the U.S. military bombed three nuclear sites in Iran. The next day, Iran launched missiles toward a U.S. base in Qatar. Now, Oladi's concerned about what's next.
“Life is going on here, and I do everything here; I have my routine here. But I can’t hide the concern I have in my heart for family, for friends," shared Oladi.
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Leila Sabetghadam is a manager of a Middle Eastern market in Midvale.
After marrying her husband in Iran in 2002, Leila Sabetghadam moved with him to the U.S., and it’s been almost 9 years since she last saw her family in Shiraz, a city in south-central Iran.
When Sabetghadam, who manages a Middle Eastern market in Midvale, heard about the attack, all she could think about was what it might mean for her family.
“For two days," she said. "I didn’t have any connection with them, and I was super worried.”
Sabetghadam was finally heard from family on Tuesday, learning they're safe but stressed about what may happen over the next few days and weeks.
The Salt Lake City Police Department is responding to concerns about safety in the community.
“Over the weekend, the department reached out to local Jewish and Islamic leaders to offer assistance and reiterate our commitment to open communication. We also emphasized our ongoing threat assessment efforts,” the department said in a statement.
As for Oladi, uncertainty weighs heavily on his heart.
“All eyes are on Iran right now," he said. "We’ll have to see what will happen.”
