MILWAUKEE — Iranian graduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are desperately trying to reach their families back home as an internet blackout prevents communication during ongoing protests against the Iranian government.
Sahab Assadi and Amir Sajjad Taleban, both UWM students, haven't heard from their loved ones in days as the situation in Iran continues to escalate. The Associated Press reports the death toll from clashes between protesters and the Iranian government has climbed past 500, with more than 10,000 others arrested.
"It's been 96 hours that I don't have any, and I haven't heard anything about my family," Assadi said.
The constant calls to family back home keep going unanswered, leaving the students in anguish.
Watch: Iranian students in Milwaukee fear for families amid internet blackout
"It's like half of my heart is not here. It's back in my home country," Taleban said.
Both students shared photos of their families, but asked that their faces be blurred to ensure they aren't targeted because of speaking out about the situation.
"There's no one safe in Iran," Assadi said. "We know that whenever the internet has been shut down, they kill lots of people, and they don't want the news to get out of the country."
The students say they don't know if their families are participating in the protests against the Iranian government, but they stand with those marching in the streets for basic freedoms.
"We don't have freedom in Iran, we don't have democracy, so people in Iran, including my family, are fighting for these simple things for normal life," Assadi said.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are about 3,300 people born in Iran now living in Wisconsin. About 1,000 call Milwaukee home.
Taleban says they all want their loved ones in Iran to have the basic freedoms many in the U.S. take for granted.
"People are getting killed by this government, and if the people's lives matter, it has to be a united people to come and intervene," Taleban said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
