Saghar Erica Kasraie carries a haunting image: millions in the streets, thousands falling silent. A naturalized U.S. citizen and fervent activist, she witnessed the brutal suppression of recent protests in Iran, a crackdown that claimed at least 30,000 lives. This devastation fueled her latest project, a film titledOccupied Homeland, a desperate cry for a nation held captive.
For Kasraie, the title isn’t merely symbolic. It reflects a deeply held belief among Iranians – that their country is under siege, not by foreign armies, but by its own ruling ideology. The Islamic Republic, she asserts, is a terrorist organization, holding Iran and its people hostage to a radical vision.
The regime’s actions, according to Kasraie, extend far beyond its borders. Iran’s wealth has been systematically drained, not to benefit its citizens, but to fund a revolutionary agenda abroad – a mission to destabilize the region, destroy Israel, and impose a rigid interpretation of Islam upon the world.
Kasraie’s own story is woven into the fabric of this struggle. Her family fled Iran in the wake of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, escaping a world transformed overnight. She vividly remembers the sudden imposition of Islamic rule, the mandatory hijab, and the chilling chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” echoing through school hallways.
Stranded in Italy during the Iran-Iraq War and hostage crisis, her family found refuge in a Catholic convent. Surrounded by unfamiliar religious iconography, a young Kasraie began a journey of questioning. The image of a man on the cross, pierced by nails, sparked a profound curiosity about faith and suffering.
Eventually settling in the United States, she discovered a different expression of Christianity – one devoid of ritual and focused on communal singing. This experience resonated deeply, offering a sense of peace that led to her baptism as a teenager. She embraced her new home, becoming a proud American alongside countless other Iranians escaping the ayatollahs’ grip.
Over decades, approximately 330,000 Iranians sought refuge in the United States, growing to a community of 750,000 today. Remarkably, nearly 60 percent hold at least a bachelor’s degree, achieving high rates of self-employment and financial success.
Historically leaning Democratic, Iranian Americans experienced a dramatic shift in political allegiance. Disillusionment with the Carter and Biden administrations’ perceived weakness towards the regime fueled a growing conservative trend. President Trump’s decisive action, the elimination of a key figure, proved to be a turning point, solidifying Republican support within the community.
“The Iranian people, after 47 years, are showing the world their love for America,” Kasraie declared, referencing the massive pro-Trump rallies that erupted in diaspora communities worldwide. These gatherings were a powerful display of solidarity, featuring American, Israeli, and the historic Lion and Sun flags of Iran.
The Lion and Sun flag, a potent symbol of Iranian national identity, was banned after the 1979 revolution. Now, it represents resistance against the regime and the perceived occupation of Iran by Islamist forces. It’s a visual declaration of a longing for a lost heritage.
This struggle extends to language itself. While Persian, or Farsi, is the original tongue of Iran, the religious regime promotes Arabic script and symbolism. A growing movement seeks to reclaim Persian identity by removing Arabic influences from national emblems and everyday speech.
“Iranians are choosing to omit Arabic words from our language because they want nothing to do with Islam,” Kasraie explained. The desire for a secular state, rooted in a distinctly Persian identity, is gaining momentum. Recent research confirms this sentiment, revealing that 89 percent of Iranians desire democracy.
Kasraie initially hesitated to voice her criticisms openly, fearing accusations of Islamophobia. But the recent, brutal crackdown on protesters ignited a new courage. “When I see Iranians risking their lives to show the world they don’t want Islam, I should be ashamed of myself for not speaking the truth.”
Her film, she says, is born from the longing of those who fled Iran to return home, and the desperate desire of those still trapped within its borders to escape. It’s a story of a people held hostage, yearning for liberation.
Past protests in Iran were often met with swift and violent suppression. But the scale of the recent massacre – 30,000 lives lost – is unprecedented. “You cannot just ignore 30,000 people being massacred,” Kasraie insists, a plea for the world to acknowledge the suffering.
For years, Iranians hoped for international intervention, but were met with silence. “Now you see that the world finally did something. Well, Trump and Israel did something.” A glimmer of hope, however fragile, has emerged.
“We never thought that Iran would be free,” Kasraie admits. While true freedom remains elusive, she believes Iran is moving in that direction. Millions of Iranians are scattered across the globe, fractured by propaganda and competing narratives.
Her film is an attempt to bridge those divides, to unite a diaspora with diverse backgrounds and beliefs around a shared story of resistance. It’s a testament to the courage of protesters, and a powerful rejection of an Islamist regime that has imprisoned a nation for nearly half a century.
