Where Is Zeinab Abutalebi? Has She Really 'Packed Up and Left Iran,' or Is She Still in Iran? Why Does She Not Provide Photos or Videos?

In today's media landscape, with the expansion of social networks, a phone denial is not enough for many followers of this story. Meanwhile, during the period these reports were published, images of a woman without a hijab outside the country were also circulated.

Arjan's Ambassador - Mohammadreza Bahnar, a member of the Expediency Council and a former member of the Islamic Council, has recently claimed in a video that Zainab Abutalebi, the same host who in 2018 in the program "Hard Revenge" of the Oqaf channel told those who do not like such conditions and beliefs to gather and leave Iran, has now left Iran herself. Bahnar even claimed that he followed up on the issue and found out that Abu Talebi has been out of the country for some time.

After the publication of these statements, Ambassador Arjan published his denial in a telephone conversation with Zainab Abutalebi. In this interview, Abu Talebi categorically denied the claim that he left the country and said that he is in Iran. He also announced that he plans to take legal and judicial action against the publishers of what he considers to be spreading rumors and fake news.

Many media also published the same denial, quoting Ambassador Arjan. But the point is that apparently in today's media environment, despite the expansion of social networks, the publication of a telephone denial is not enough for many followers of this story. They want, in addition to denying this claim, a new picture or video of Abu Talebi that shows his presence in a specific place in Iran, for example Tehran, with signs such as Azadi Tower or Milad Tower, at a certain time and date.

Of course, between the publication of these news, pictures of a woman without a hijab were published abroad, which were attributed to Zainab Abu Talebi; But this attribution is rejected and it is said that the images belong to someone else.

In cyberspace, even one of the former broadcasters said that a more objective document than a telephone conversation should be presented to prove this issue; For example, a video that Abu Talebi himself recorded in a certain place, with a background such as Milad Tower or Azadi Tower. In this way, the demand to publish a video proof to prove his presence in Iran has become one of the axes of this media fringe.

But who is Zainab Abutalebi and how did she become a controversial figure in Iran's media space?

Zainab Abutalebi is one of the former TV anchors, whose main activity was in the Afogh TV channel. He is said to have been born in Tehran in the middle of the 1360s, around 1364 or 1365, and was introduced as a graduate of Sharif University of Technology. His television career also started with youth programs such as "Nimrukh".

Around 1393, at the same time as the launch of the Oghov network, Abu Talebi entered this network as a presenter. One of his most well-known programs before the controversy of 2018 was "Hidden Half of the Moon"; A conversation-oriented program with the wives and families of the martyrs, in which the personal lives of the martyrs were narrated by their relatives. He was also in charge of the implementation of programs such as "Goharshad", which was dedicated to conversations with successful Iranian women and girls.

In 2017, at the fifth Jam Jam Festival, Abu Talebi was recognized as one of the best female presenters; But the main controversy of his media life began in January 2018 with his participation in the "Tough Revenge" program. This program went on the air after the martyrdom of Qassem Soleimani, and Abu Talebi made statements with the following content: "If someone does not believe, he should leave Iran." The country belongs to Hezbollah; Anyone who doesn't want to, let them go."

These statements were met with widespread reactions in cyberspace and provoked many criticisms. Abu Talebi later apologized and explained that his intention was not to create mental convulsions and insecurity, and that Iran belongs to all the people of the country.

After that, there were various rumors about his personal and family life. Among other things, it was said that he has a family relationship with Hamid Abu Talebi, the diplomat of Hassan Rouhani's government; A claim that was rejected. There was also a rumor about her being a sister to Zahra Abu Talebi, who was said to be living in America, which was also denied. Some have introduced him as the son of one of the holy defense martyrs.

Before 2018, Abu Talebi was a less marginal figure despite performing various television programs; But the same famous sentence in the program "Hard Revenge" changed the path of his media life and made his name one of the controversial names in the political and media environment of Iran. A sentence that is still repeated in Iran's political and media controversies, years after it was uttered, and now the claim of his departure from the country has once again brought his name back to the top of news and discussions on social networks.