The encounter described by Sara Omatali in the New York Times article is misleading and questionable.
The New York Times article includes accusations from Sara Omatali claiming that when she visited Mr. Aghdashloo 14 years ago to pick up Mr. Aghdashloo at his studio for an interview at the Iranian National Museum, he “greeted her while naked with a robe draped on his shoulder, forced a kiss and pressed his body on hers.” Mr. Aghdashloo has previously been photographed in his long Moroccan robe which he always wears at his studio and that is fully stitched up at the front. He emphatically denies having ever greeted Mrs. Omatali, or anyone, without being appropriately dressed, and vehemently affirms that he never attempted to kiss, inappropriately touch or otherwise force himself on Mrs. Omatali or anyone else.
According to her account on social media, after this incident, Mrs. Omatali accompanied him to a museum, at which time the below picture was taken.
Witnesses at the museum that day mentioned that Mrs. Omatali was seemed cheerful. In this interview, she was accompanied by a photo journalist colleague of Ms. Omatali, who captured the image and who would have been with her at the meeting. Additionally, many details Mrs. Omatali provided about the incident conflict with the physical facts and realities of the location.
Also, as recently as 2018, Sara Omatali posted positively about Aydin Aghdashloo, his support of women, and his work as a dissident.
