Sahar Ghoreishi (; born 27 December 1987) is an Iranian actress. She began her acting career in 2009 with a role in the film Laj o Lajbazi and gained prominence that same year for her performance in the television series Delnavazan.
Sahar Ghoreishi was born in Tehran. She married Mehran Akhavan Zakeri in 2004; they divorced in 2009. She had short-term relationships with Iranian footballer Mehdi Taremi and singer Amir Tataloo.
Ghoreishi began her career performing a role in the television show Laj-o-Laj Bazi (English: "Pertinacity") (2009), and she rose to fame among Iranians by starring in the TV series Delnavazan. She is also active in brand endorsement and modelling.
In 2019, images circulated on social media suggesting a close relationship between Sahar Ghoreishi and Mehdi Taremi. Amid growing speculation and reactions, both parties expressed regret over the release of the images and described their relationship as friendly.
In December 2017, Ghoreishi stated in an interview that she opposed women attending sports stadiums, saying she felt âÂÂdisturbedâ by the presence of men around her. Previously, she had attended a Persepolis vs. Al-Hilal match at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with photos of her at the event shared online. Her remarks sparked widespread criticism, particularly on social media. Public figures such as Mahnaz Afshar, Masih Alinejad, and Salome Seyednia responded to her comments. In a subsequent interview, Ghoreishi clarified that her stance on women attending stadiums was a personal opinion shared with her fans, citing âÂÂlack of safety for women in stadiumsâ as her reason.
In late October 2016, GhoreishiâÂÂs Instagram account, with 4.4 million followers, was hacked. For several hours, an image of the Saudi Arabian king and the countryâÂÂs flag was posted on her page.
On 22 April 2020, a video surfaced showing Ghoreishi laughing near a street cleaner, telling her friends, âÂÂI matched my outfit with him.â The street cleaner reacted by saying, âÂÂGo, lady,â to which Ghoreishi responded to her friends, âÂÂAll I needed was for him to tell me to go.â The videoâÂÂs circulation on media and social platforms triggered significant backlash. Majid Farahani, a member of the Tehran City Council, stated, âÂÂIf there is no formal apology, as a representative of the grateful people of Tehran, I will pursue a legal complaint from the Tehran MunicipalityâÂÂs legal department against Ms. Sahar Ghoreishi.âÂÂ
Actor Sam Derakhshani criticized GhoreishiâÂÂs actions on Instagram, labeling her among âÂÂpseudo-artistsâ who rose in IranâÂÂs cinema through connections. He wrote, âÂÂThe story starts with pseudo-artists who, through their deals, rise to fame and develop a delusion of being true artists⦠Half the insults the artistic community receives are due to the ignorance of people like you.âÂÂ
In response to the criticism, Ghoreishi posted on Instagram, âÂÂI proudly say I was born into a family from this very class, and I will never forget my past.â She added:<blockquote>âÂÂFor a while now, IâÂÂve been sensitive to the word âÂÂgoâÂÂ! ItâÂÂs that simple, because for a long time, my friends and those around me have been advising me to leave Iran. When that honorable street cleaner told me âÂÂgo,â it felt like a message from nature itself telling me to leave. That dear street cleaner didnâÂÂt recognize me at all, and I swear I never intended to insult him. This was nothing but a small misunderstanding. In the end, what could be more wonderful than me wearing the honorable uniform of a street cleaner one day and experiencing the thrilling feeling of standing beside this hardworking and dignified group? Wearing a street cleanerâÂÂs uniform isnâÂÂt a punishment or a court ruling; to me, itâÂÂs a great honor and a symbol of nobility and integrity.âÂÂ</blockquote>
In 2021, images shared on social media suggesting GhoreishiâÂÂs migration to Turkey and an emotional relationship with Amir Tataloo fueled further controversies. Both Ghoreishi and Tataloo confirmed their relationship in various ways. Analysts have linked this relationship to the promotion of overseas betting networks, suggesting that the controversy was orchestrated to increase traffic and profits for gambling websites.