Mohsen Attaran was born in Iran and came to the United States in 1976 to pursue higher education. After earning a Ph.D. in systems science, he taught at California State University, Bakersfield for nearly 4 decades before retiri ng in 2022.As war broke out between the U.S. and Iran, his thoughts turned to the family and friends he still has back home."But, you know, there was nothing we could do," Attaran said.Attaran says the fear and uncertainty have been shared by millions of Iranians living outside the country. He also believes many Iranians want political change."Majority of people in Iran, they don't want this government. They want a government that is democratic, that is not secular, that is not religious, and protects the constitution," Attaran said.While war and diplomacy have dominated international headlines, Attaran has also been following the World Cup. Iran took the field in Los Angeles Monday night against New Zealand, but Attaran says the match is complicated for many Iranians. He says the Iran team was hand-picked by the government, leading some fans to feel the team doesn't represent the people of Iran."There are so many players that were eliminated from the list because they made a comment against the government," Attaran said.Attaran expected many Iranians to watch the match and attend the game, while also using the event to express their disagreement with the regime."To show that this team is not a representation of Iranian, that we believe that the people of the world need to realize this barbaric regime," Attaran said.Attaran is also following the recent memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran. While he hopes it reduces tensions in the short term, he believes deep disagreements between the two sides remain.Still, he says he has not given up hope for a better future."And it's going to take a long time for prosperity, but I am hopeful, and I think it will happen," Attaran 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.Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere: Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube ...read more read less