'I couldn't believe it': Bellevue rally supports the U.S. attack on Iran | king5.com

Jun 25, 2025

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BELLEVUE, Wash. — Moments after the news broke that the United States military bombed three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, Iranian immigrant Homeira Baktiari began organizing Sunday’s rally at a Bellevue park to show support.

“I couldn't believe it,” Baktiari said. “I want to thank President Trump. He did a good job.”

Since 2017, Baktiari has been holding demonstrations in downtown Bellevue calling for a regime change in her home country.

She said she has family in Iran who are political dissidents.

“This regime is a brutal regime," Baktiari said. "If the Islamic Republic of Iran steps down, we will have peace not only for Iranians inside Iran, but all over the world."

Iran carried out an “alarming” number of executions last year, with at least 975 people killed, according to a United Nations report that cited widespread human rights violations—including restrictions on freedom of expression, the use of torture, and arbitrary detentions.

A small group from the Iranian and Jewish communities gathered Sunday at Bellevue Downtown Park, waving Israeli, Iranian and American flags to show their excitement and support of the attack on the nuclear facilities.

“It's something that President Trump promised to do for from the get-go from his campaign,” said Sasha Milton, who identifies as Jewish. “He kept his word.”

“I don’t want boots on the ground or anything," Milton said. "I don’t want this war to escalate. I don’t think this attack will do that,” he said.

Many of the opinions voiced by those at the rally echo that of Republican lawmakers who justify the attack as a means to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

“If they (the Islamic Republic of Iran) remain in power, not only are Iranians going to die every single day, but also the whole world is going to be in danger,” Baktiari said.

While some Republican officials have publicly condemned the attack, political reactions in Washington state appear to largely follow party lines.

Many Democrats called the attack unconstitutional because it was not put to a congressional vote.

“The way to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to protect American service members is through diplomacy and negotiation, not entering direct conflict." U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Bellevue, said in a statement.

Smith is a ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.

"The path that the President has chosen risks unleashing a wider war in the region that is both incredibly unpredictable and treacherous and that threatens the safety and security of the United States, Israel, and ultimately the world," Smith said.

Washington’s two Republican congressmembers posted statements supporting the President's bombing of Iran on social media.

“The clerics who run the Islamic Republic of Iran have been using terrorists to kill Americans for nearly 40 years. Letting them acquire a nuclear weapon would be suicidal,” said U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, D-5.

“The decisive actions taken by the United States come as Iran refused to end development of their nuclear program, and I stand with our ally Israel as we work together to end this dangerous regime’s efforts towards a nuclear weapon of mass destruction. Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, D-4.