10 Challenges Parastoo Salehi Faces as She Courageously Returns to Her Homeland

Breakthrough and Rise to Fame

Parastoo Salehi gained widespread recognition for her role in the TV series “Under the City Sky.” This role brought her into the limelight and established her as a household name in Iran. Her performances are characterized by depth and emotional intensity, making her a favorite among audiences and critics alike.

Personal Life and Influences

Salehi’s personal life and influences have played a significant role in shaping her career and activism. She has often spoken about her admiration for Iranian cultural icons such as Fereydoun Farrokhzad, Mohammad Ali Fardin, Nasser Hijazi, Dariush Iqbali, and Bahram Beizai. Her love for narcissus flowers, the sea, the moon, poetry, and cinema is well-known and reflects her artistic and sensitive nature.

Activism and Social Issues

Parastoo Salehi is not just an actress; she is a vocal social activist. In Ramadan 2015, she appeared on the 18th episode of the “Honeymoon” program with her brother Amir, where they publicly discussed their father’s struggle with drug addiction. This candid revelation was a significant moment, highlighting the issue of addiction and its impact on families.

In June 2019, Salehi announced on Instagram that she had been summoned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps due to her social media posts and participation in events commemorating the victims of the Ukrainian plane crash. She wrote about her decision to remain silent, citing personal reasons such as her mother’s health and her brother’s well-being. The hashtags she used, including #no_work, #no_speech, and #no_going_out, underscored her protest against the restrictions imposed on her freedom of expression.

July 29, 2024 | 9:30 pm