The U.S. airstrike on Iran has sparked debate in North Texas political circles.
FORT WORTH, Texas — The weekend U.S. military strike on Iran is stirring debate across North Texas, including during a political rally hosted by Democrats at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Sunday.
“I did speak on Iran,” said union leader Tevita Uhatafe, who addressed a crowd of more than 6,000 people. “I spoke on it as a worker. You know, there are millions of workers in Iran, and it takes me back.”
Uhatafe serves as the first vice president of the Tarrant County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, located on Rufe Snow Drive in North Richland Hills. The Tarrant County Central Labor Council (AFL–CIO) is a democratically elected federation of more than 43 local unions in Tarrant and surrounding North Texas counties, representing over 35,000 workers across multiple industries. Their members include professionals from teachers and firefighters to electricians and nurses. As the local voice of organized labor, it advocates for social and economic justice, mobilizes members for political action, hosts educational and training programs, and uplifts workplace rights and community advocacy across the region.
The remarks come in response to “Operation Midnight Hammer”—a coordinated U.S. airstrike on three Iranian nuclear sites. President Trump confirmed that all American aircraft safely exited Iranian airspace following the mission.
Not all political leaders are aligned in their reaction. Senator Bernie Sanders expressed strong opposition to the strikes at an event in Fort Worth.
“We should be spending our money rebuilding America, not going to war with Iran,” Sen. Sanders said.
But Republican Congressman Keith Self voiced support for the operation.
“National security is the first duty of the president of the United States. What do these people prefer? Do they prefer to send our young Americans, men and women, into the desert to bleed and die for 20 years, or do they want to fight a war like we used to fight?” Self said.
Congressman Self is the U.S. Representative for Texas’s 3rd Congressional District, serving since January 3, 2023. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army and a former Collin County Judge. Self graduated from West Point in 1975 and served 25 years in airborne and special forces units. He represents a North Texas district and sits on key committees including Foreign Affairs, Science, Space & Technology, and Veterans’ Affairs.
Meanwhile, members of the Iranian American Community of North Texas are watching closely.
The Iranian American Community of North Texas (IACNT) is an independent nonprofit dedicated to bridging Iranian heritage and American life. For more than 30 years, IACNT has educated both Iranian-Americans and the broader public about Persian culture, politics, and human rights challenges in Iran. Through celebrations like Nowruz and Mehregan, cultural workshops, political forums, and advocacy efforts focused on democracy and human rights, the IACNT fosters community engagement and civic participation across North Texas. Many have spent years opposing the current Iranian regime.
“My hope is that the Iranian people and their organizers’ resistance will continue their fight,” said Homeira Hesami, chairwoman of the Iranian-American Community of North Texas.
As both political parties and IACNT await official damage assessments from the strikes, some lawmakers are focused on what happens next.
“I’ll be watching for how Iran reacts,” Congressman Self said.
For now, all eyes are on Iran and how its leaders will respond to Operation Midnight Hammer.