SAEDNEWS: An archival photograph has emerged of former president Seyyed Mohammad Khatami visiting the rehearsals of “Will You Have Ice Cream with Me?”, standing alongside actress Bahareh Rahnama and other theatre luminaries.
According to Saed News, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami—who helmed Iran from 1997 to 2005—appears in an older, previously unpublished image behind the scenes of the play “با من بستنی میخوری؟” (“Will You Have Ice Cream with Me?”). The photograph, taken during his post‑presidential years at Iran University of Science and Technology’s theatre, shows Khatami in conversation with Bahareh Rahnama, director Bahman Farman‑Ara, filmmaker Alireza Davoodnejad, and actress Mahtab Keramati.
Bahareh Rahnama, born in December 1973 in the village of Hazaveh near Arak, is the daughter of veteran actress Parvin Ghaem‑Maghami and holds a bachelor’s degree in dramatic literature as well as a master’s in judicial law. She has become one of Iran’s most dynamic stage performers, praised for bringing contemporary social themes to life.
Khatami’s appearance underscores his enduring advocacy for Iran’s cultural revival—a hallmark of his presidency that once loosened restrictions on artistic expression. By engaging with leading figures of Iran’s theatre community, he lent his stature to a sector often constrained by political sensitivities, reminding observers of the arts’ unifying power.
