ANN ARBOR, Mich. – An Ann Arbor resident is in Tehran as President Donald Trump escalates his rhetoric over the war with Iran, warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” while also pushing for a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking by phone, Dr. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani described the conditions she is facing.
“Well, I will tell you they’re bombing all around, pretty much every night,” said Savabieasfahani.
Savabieasfahani traveled to Iran to care for her elderly parents before the war started.
“We must stop this atrocity. We are better than this. The American people are better than this,” Savabieasfahani said.
Her husband, Blaine Coleman, has been speaking out against the war at the Ann Arbor City Council.
“I hope that he declares victory and gets out immediately,” Coleman said.
Wayne State University associate professor Saeed Khan said Trump’s rhetoric appears driven by desperation.
“There are several European countries, allies of us, who have refused to allow American aircraft and military personnel to use their airspace, to use their resources,” Coleman said.
Khan said there are superpowers like China and Russia who are staying quiet about the war.
“Because they’re allowing Trump to just simply say what he does with all of his bluster, and they’re waiting to see how, in many ways, America is imploding on itself,” Coleman said.
Khan said Trump’s language is “unbecoming of an American president.”
“If we as a society seem to be unbothered by that, that’s going to have a longer-term impact not only on the American psyche, but certainly on America’s credibility and reputation on the world stage,” Coleman said.
Savabieasfahani said she plans to continue to speak out against the war.
“I am hopeful that it will end soon,” Savabieasfahani said.