More than 300 cars waving Iranian, Israeli and American flags caravanned along Interstate 5 and Interstate 405 Saturday afternoon.
SEATTLE — More than 300 cars waving Iranian, Israeli, and American flags caravanned along Interstate 5 and Interstate 405 on Saturday, as members of a Seattle-area advocacy group voiced support for U.S. military strikes targeting Iran’s government, and others protested outside Pike Place to demand an end to U.S. and Israeli military action.
Drivers in Bellevue departed from a parking lot, honked horns, and displayed flags as the caravan moved north and around Seattle, drawing attention from other motorists and underscoring divisions over the escalating conflict. The demonstration was organized by Voice of Iran Washington, a nonprofit that advocates for democracy in Iran and supports international intervention to end the current regime.
“We don’t have any rights in Iran,” said Arash Seyfianjoo, an Iranian refugee, who helped organize the event. He said the caravan had been planned for months but that overnight developments increased participation. Religious persecution forced him to leave the country. “We cannot go to a school. We cannot go to university.”
NBC News reports U.S. Central Command said the strikes were launched at 1:15 a.m. eastern time from air, land and sea, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command facilities, air defenses, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields. Officials described the operation as aimed at eliminating imminent threats to American forces and interests.
Seyfianjoo, who came to the U.S. in 2004, said he supports the strikes and believes outside pressure could help bring political change in Iran.
He said he hopes the action leads to the collapse of Iran’s current government and a transition to what he described as a democratic system. “That future will be very bright, will be very helpful, will be very peaceful,” he said.
Anti-war demonstrators gathered at Pike Place Market for a rally organized by Seattle Against War and a coalition of local groups, including the Seattle Democratic Socialists of America, Students for a Democratic Society and Veterans for Peace. The groups called for the United States and Israel to end military action against Iran, describing the strikes as an unprovoked attack and warning of civilian casualties and regional escalation. Organizers urged U.S. lawmakers to oppose further intervention and demanded “Hands Off Iran.”
Sen. Patty Murray called on Congress to return immediately and vote to end what she described as a war with Iran, warning the conflict could spiral without clear goals or strategy.
For Seyfianjoo and others in Saturday’s caravan, the moment felt historic.
“I was waiting for that moment the entire of my life,” the 46-year-old said, arriving in Seattle as a 23-year-old.
Organizers said participants came from across the Eastside, including Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland, reflecting the growth of the region’s Iranian-American population in recent years.
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