The death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei — amid attacks by US and Israeli forces in the Middle Eastern country — has stirred a mix of hope and fear among Iranians living in Finland.
While some see the moment as a chance for change, others worry that the authorities could tighten their grip in response.
Azzar Sarikhani, an Iranian who moved to Finland a decade ago, says she spent much of the weekend awake, following developments closely.
"The fact that he [Khamenei] is gone, it's maybe the happiest day of all of our lives…all of us are happy," she told Yle.
Broader implications
Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP) on Monday said US strikes on Iran could have broader implications for Europe.
Häkkänen also noted Iran's role in supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including the supply of Shahed drones. He suggested that any disruption to Iran's government could have a stabilising effect.
"It could be positive if the Iranian administration is partially paralysed in its support for Russia's war," he said.
Häkkänen said the United States' actions are not unprecedented. Washington has acted in similar ways since the end of the Cold War. That, he added, does not make them any less troubling. He warned that it would be regrettable if agreed rules of international conduct were not upheld.
At the same time, he also urged people to remember how the Iranian regime has treated its own people, arguing that the international community has so far been unable to address that behaviour through established legal mechanisms.
Paying more at the pump?
Jan von Gerich, chief analyst at Nordea, said that the US and Israeli strikes on Iran could have a relatively quick impact on oil prices — and, consequently, on prices at the pump.
Attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel have, as expected, rattled global markets on Monday.
US futures initially fell by more than one percent, while oil prices spiked sharply. Both have since stabilised as trading volumes picked up.
