Michigan Student Questions Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed on Iran Position

<p>A Michigan student confronted Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed about his position on Iran during a town hall on September 23, 2026, at the University of Michigan. The student, Iman Dashti, invoked his family's experiences with the Iranian regime while pressing El-Sayed on whether he supported Iranians opposing the government.</p><p>Dashti, who identified as Persian, stated that members of his family had suffered under Iran's government. He mentioned that his cousin was targeted by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and that her uncle received a death sentence and lashes under the regime.</p><p>Dashti referenced leaked audio from earlier in the year, where El-Sayed expressed reluctance to comment on the death of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, citing sadness in the Dearborn community. Dashti criticized this silence, stating, "That silence had a gaping hole in our community."</p><p>He asked El-Sayed if he regretted that silence, if he would renounce those who held vigils for Khamenei, and if he stood against the IRGC and the Islamic Republic of Iran. El-Sayed responded by stating that the U.S. has often acted as "the world's policeman" and expressed support for movements advocating democracy and freedom abroad.</p><p>El-Sayed stated, "One can disagree with the governance of a foreign country. One can stand in solidarity with freedom and democracy movements," while rejecting U.S.-led regime change in Iran. He emphasized, "I will always stand for and with democratic movements always," but added that it is not the U.S.'s responsibility to determine Iran's leadership.</p><p>Dashti pressed El-Sayed again, asking, "You stand with us?" El-Sayed replied, "I will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy," reiterating his stance against U.S. involvement in regime change.</p><p>El-Sayed further stated, "I want freedom and democracy for the people of Iran, no question. But I want that to be done by the people of Iran, coming together as a community to decide how to create democratic change in their society."</p><p>Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for additional comments regarding the exchange and attempted to contact Dashti via Instagram.</p><p>El-Sayed, who won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary in August, is running against Republican former Representative Mike Rogers for the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. The race has garnered significant national attention and financial backing.</p><p>This confrontation was one of several notable exchanges during the "Students vs. Billionaires" town hall at El-Sayed's alma mater.</p><p>During the event, El-Sayed also made comments about the future of the presidency, stating, "I'm looking forward to working with the next Democratic president when she takes office in 2029," without specifying who he was referring to.</p><p>His remarks coincided with former Vice President Kamala Harris's return to Michigan to campaign with El-Sayed, although she has not announced a presidential campaign for 2028.</p><p>El-Sayed criticized President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during the event, remarking, "Donald Trump and JD Vance can't seem to keep my name out their mouth," and expressed a belief in teaching opportunities.</p><p>In response to criticism from Trump and other national Republicans, El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson, Roxie Richner, stated, "Abdul will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy, and he condemns government anti-free speech violence." Richner added that El-Sayed believes U.S. taxpayer dollars should be invested domestically rather than in regime change efforts abroad.</p>