DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — For many Iranians it was a lightning sequence of events: A 12-day war with Israel and a sudden, U.S.-brokered ceasefire . Now, as they return to their neighborhoods deeply shaken by Israeli air assaults , fears mount over what the country's theocracy may do next .

President Donald Trump compared the American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities to the only use of atomic weapons in warfare during the 20th century.

The fast-changing war between Israel and Iran, in which the U.S. recently inserted itself by targeting Iran’s nuclear sites, has caused a mix of emotions — including fear and uncertainty — among many in the Iranian diaspora in America and also showcased differences of opinion over the country’s future.