Abdul El-Sayed refused to condemn IRGC terrorists when confronted by Michigan student

Although the student did not ask El-Sayed about efforts for regime change in Iran, that is what he focused on after being asked to condemn the terrorist organization. The clip of the back-and-forth has gained traction again after El-Sayed made the appearance at the University of Michigan in September. The clip has resurfaced as his Democrat primary opponent, Haley Stevens, has endorsed Republican Mike Rogers.

The student, who identified himself as Persian, said during a Q&A for El-Sayed, "My cousin was hunted in the streets of Iran by the IRGC because her hijab wasn't on right. My uncle was sentenced to die, received 50 lashings by Ali Khamenei's government, and the terror that we have experienced is insurmountable, and you can imagine our surprise as Persians, our sadness when we heard you, Abdul, a leaked audio tape of you saying that you didn't want to comment on Supreme Leader Khamenei's death, and that people in Dearborn were sad when he died."

"And I just have a simple question, Abdul. That silence was a gaping hole in our community, and I want to ask if you regret that silence. I want to ask if you renounce the people that held vigils that supported this terrorist for all the stuff that he's done. I wanted to ask if you stand unequivocally against the IRGC, against the Islamic Republic of Iran that has killed 50,000 protesters. Abdul, I haven't heard anything from you about the protesters, Abdul. Please."

El-Sayed, instead of condemning the IRGC, talked about regime change in Iran, and refused to condemn the IRGC.

"I appreciate your question and thank you. What I will tell you is this: for too long and too often, when we think about our role in the world, we have turned ourselves into the world's policemen, and I think what we all want, what we all need, is more democracy, more freedom in the world, but also an understanding of what we actually can and should do with respect to that. And here's my point: One can disagree with the governance of a foreign country. One can stand in solidarity with freedom and democracy movements. But my worry is one when one decides that we are going to go in and take out the leadership of a foreign government," he responded.

He then added that he will "always stand for and with democratic movements" but added, " I also don't believe that we were in the right to go to war to topple the government of Iran. It was not our responsibility as Iran. It is the responsibility of the people of Iran to decide what their leadership should look like."

The student responded, "You still haven't said it though, we're dying."

"I will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy. But again, I want to be careful because how many times were you taken down a path to war that we could not get ourselves out of?" he responded.

El-Sayed then claimed that the student was asking if he wanted the US to "be involved in regime change," which was not the student's question from the start.

El-Sayed previously came under fire when audio of him leaked saying that he was not going to say anything about the death of Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by Israeli airstrikes during Operation Epic Fury, a campaign from the US and Iran.

His family has a number of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which he has also had reservations in condemning. On Sunday, his primary opponent, Haley Stevens, came out in support of El-Sayed's Republican opponent, Mike Rogers.

Stevens said of the decision to endorse Rogers, "I've worked really hard for Democrats. I'm not turning my back on Democrats. It is one vote. When you see repeated hate, it's not acceptable. I still love the party."