- Iran threatens to confiscate property of Iranians abroad supporting US and Israel
- Marches in Western cities celebrated killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei
- Mojtaba Khamenei named as new supreme leader by Iranian authorities
Amid the war in Iran, Tehran has threatened to confiscate the property of Iranians living abroad and warned them of legal penalties if they express support for the United States and Israel. The warning came after some people of Iranian origin, who want political change in Tehran, organised marches in European and American cities to celebrate the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Iran has named Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new supreme leader.
"A warning has been issued to those Iranians living abroad who in different ways sympathise, support or cooperate with the American-Zionist (Israeli) enemy," Iran's prosecutor general's office was quoted as saying by state media.
"They will be met with the confiscation of all their properties and other legal penalties in accordance with the law."
Some newly established channels on Telegram have also shared details of prominent Iranians living abroad who have posted comments critical of Iran's clerical authorities and supportive of the US-Israeli military campaign that began on February 28.
Up to 5 million Iranians live abroad, the majority of them in the United States and Western Europe, according to Iranian government data. Iranian media put their numbers closer to 10 million.
How Iranians Living Abroad Reacted
Iranian-origin Meyam Aghakhani, who works at a shop in London, told news agency Reuters that he was not concerned by the threat.
"I don't really think any Iranian outside, in the diaspora, is really and truly worried about themselves and their properties and equity and belongings when people inside Iran, they go out, barehanded, without anything, they will stand in front of live ammunition, and they actually get killed," he said.
"So my war and my fight continue without any hesitation," Aghakhani added.
Another Iranian, Naser Kayvani, who owns a dry cleaning business in London, told Reuters that people don't have a choice but to protest against the theocratic regime in Tehran.
"We don't have any choice. Iranian people (for) more than 40 years (have tried) to find another rule (another government). Two and half months ago, a lot of Iranian people (were) killed by (the) government," Kayvani said.
