A recent French political book sparked controversy after it claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged private messages with Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani as part of what the author described as a “platonic relationship.” The allegations appear in the book Un Couple (Presque) Parfait (“An Almost Perfect Couple”), written by journalist Florian Tardif, and have drawn international attention because the book also links the alleged exchanges to a 2025 viral incident involving Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron on a plane in Vietnam. However, no independently verified evidence has been published to support the claims of a romantic or inappropriate relationship.
The claims made in the book
These allegations come from Florian Tardif, political correspondent for the French magazine Paris Match. Tardif claims in his book that Macron maintained months of private exchanges with Farahani, describing the relationship as passionate but “platonic.”According to excerpts cited by French and British media, the author claims that Brigitte Macron discovered messages sent by the president to the actress, including one that reportedly read: “I find you very beautiful.”
Tardif has publicly defended the book, saying the material was based on conversations with sources close to the presidential couple.However, no screenshots, official documents, or independently documented evidence of the alleged messages have been released publicly.
Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani.
How did the Vietnam plane incident become related?
The book has gained wider attention because it attempts to explain a viral incident involving the French President and the First Lady during an official visit to Vietnam in May 2025.
Footage filmed as the presidential plane arrived in Hanoi appears to show Brigitte Macron suddenly pushing or punching Macron in the face as they stood near the entrance to the plane. The video quickly spread across the internet and sparked widespread speculation on social media.At the time, Macron dismissed the incident as playful behavior between a couple and criticized online reactions as exaggerated. French officials later confirmed that the footage was real after early attempts by some commentators to cast doubt on the video.Tardif’s book claims that the argument was linked to Brigitte Macron seeing messages related to Farahani during the trip. According to the author, tensions escalated between the couple before they got off the plane.
Strong denials from Macron’s allies
Those close to Brigitte Macron have strongly rejected the allegations contained in the book. French media reports, citing members of the delegation accompanying the First Lady, said that these allegations were “categorically denied.”Sources close to Brigitte Macron reportedly questioned the idea that she regularly checked her husband’s phone and rejected suggestions that Farhani had any role in tensions within the relationship between the presidential couple.No official statement from the Elysee Palace confirmed the book’s allegations.
His response was hilarious
Farahani previously denied rumors indicating an affair with Macron. The actress, who left Iran years ago and later settled in France, has spoken in previous interviews about online gossip surrounding her public life and rejected speculation about any romantic involvement with the French president.Known internationally for films such as Extraction, Patterson and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Farahani has long attracted significant media attention for her acting career and outspoken criticism of the Iranian government.The controversy remains largely based on the claims made in Tardif’s book and the unnamed sources cited by the author. No leaked letters or documented documents have been published to support these allegations. The story remains a subject of political media speculation rather than an established factual scandal.
