‘Nowhere is really safe’: Iranian dissidents grapple with US war in Iran

Iranian dissidents in exile are expressing fear of retribution from their government while simultaneously facing increased anti-immigrant sentiment in their host countries. The dissidents, who have fled Iran to escape persecution for criticizing the regime, now worry that escalating US-Iran tensions could make them targets for retaliation by Iranian authorities or their proxies abroad. Their concerns reflect a deepening sense of vulnerability—caught between potential danger from Tehran and growing hostility toward immigrants in Western nations where many have sought refuge. For exile communities that have long relied on relative safety outside Iran's borders, the combination of geopolitical tension and domestic anti-immigrant backlash has created a precarious situation with few safe options.