[58854] Storm in France: Is the Golshifteh Farahani affair the reason for Macron's 'slap' incident?

New publications link Emmanuel Macron's personal life to the Iranian actress

A public storm is brewing following the publication of the book "A Nearly Perfect Couple" by French journalist Florian Tardif. According to reports appearing in numerous media channels, including Iran International, Tardif claims that the French President, Emmanuel Macron, maintained a "platonic" relationship that lasted several months with the Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani.

According to information originally distributed in Paris Match and cited in 'Madame Figaro' magazine, Tardif's main claim is that the famous 'slap' incident by Brigitte Macron to the president during a flight in May 2025 was not a game, as the Élysée Palace claimed, but a confrontation that broke out after Brigitte discovered personal text messages on her husband's phone. It was reported that the messages read, among other things: "In my opinion, you are very beautiful."

Other media channels such as Akharin Khabar and Khabarfori Jang emphasized that the sources claiming the content of the messages insist on their veracity, despite the attempts by the president's inner circle to present the event as an intimate moment that was misinterpreted. The Iranncorg channel, associated with the Iranian opposition in exile, chose to present the affair through a critical prism regarding Macron's conduct, while other channels such as Khabarfori News note that so far Golshifteh Farahani has chosen not to officially respond to the claims.

Despite the widespread reports, it is important to note that Brigitte Macron's team has denied the claims attributed to the book. The media discussion remains charged, with some media outlets presenting it as a political-personal scandal, while on the other hand, the Élysée Palace sticks to the original narrative that it is a misinterpretation of a normal marital dynamic.