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Connections
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Connections

Iranians discuss the fall of the dictator and what’s next

By Evan Dawson,
Megan Mack, Julie Williams
Published March 2, 2026 at 4:39 PM EST
Three people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has long dark hair and is wearing a blue quilted jacket over a beige shirt; a man at center has short dark hair and is wearing a black sweater; a man at right has very short dark hair and is wearing a blue plaid button-down shirt.
Gary Pudup
/
WXXI News
Niaz Abdolrahim and Pouya Seifzadeh with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Monday, March 2, 2026
WXXI News

In January, we welcomed a panel of Iranian Americans to discuss their hopes for the future of Iran. Now that the Ayatollah is dead, a range of possibilities is in play.

They discuss their hopes and their fears, as war rages in Iran.

In studio:

  • Niaz Abdolrahim, Ph.D., associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester
  • Pouya Seifzadeh, Ph.D., associate professor of strategy at SUNY Geneseo and local business owner of Funtastic Adventure Park, Bounce Hopper, and Ontario Play & Cafe

Connections
Evan Dawson
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
See stories by Evan Dawson
Megan Mack
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
See stories by Megan Mack
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams