Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was booed and openly protested by part of the audience on Friday evening, 9 October 2026, as he spoke on stage at the orchestral production “Arash” at the Espinas complex in Tehran. A video of the moment circulated on social media on Saturday, 10 October.
According to Gooya News and Axar, Baghaei had asked for a microphone to thank the production's crew and began his remarks by reciting a poem, which drew a negative reaction from a group of people in the hall. Iran International and Vahid Online also republished the video of the incident. No details have been published so far about Baghaei's response to the protest.
The spokesman for the Islamic Republic's diplomatic apparatus was booed by the audience in a Tehran theatre hall.
The “Arash” production and the presence of Islamic Republic officials
The orchestral theatre piece “Arash”, directed by Ali Sarabi, is a stage telling of the myth of Arash the Archer and is being performed at the Royal Hall of Espinas Palace in Tehran. According to Axar, the production had already made news earlier because of changes to its cast. Baghaei had previously praised the production on X, calling Arash a symbol of sacrifice for the homeland.
The protest against the presence of Islamic Republic officials at public events comes as the government, after crushing the January uprising, faces a wave of executions and the economic pressure of the war; HRANA, in its annual report, reported at least 2,003 executions in one year. The foreign ministry whose spokesman Baghaei is is also caught up in fruitless negotiations with the United States over ending the war.
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