^^ This is the similar feeling to a woman I know and with whom I used to work. She would always say she is from Persia, not Iran. And that's because the government there defined what Iran is today...and she's not a part of that.
I reached out to her today, she is happy and relieved that the leader is gone. Like many, she hopes it's a beginning of more freedoms for the people (and she has family there still). But like above, she still worries about the future depending on how things progress, and what "fills the void."
I hope that things will progress for a better future for the people. But with people like Trump and Netanyahu influencing things, not so sure....