The Terrifying Tale of Iranian Sorcerer Aref Ghafouri Bitten by His Pet Cobra + Photos

According to Saed News, quoting Entekhab, Aref Ghafoori recounted a terrifying encounter with one of his snakes: “I had a snake in my garden that I thought was dead because it wasn’t moving. I picked it up and washed it. After washing, it seemed a little more alert. As soon as I tried to put it back in its cage, it turned and bit me.”

The magician explained, “This snake was injured; one of its eyes was blind. When I bought it, it was sick and wounded. I had purchased it to treat and care for it, and it had been with me for a year and a half.”

Ghafoori continued: “I immediately wrapped my hand and began sucking out the venom, trying to remove as much as possible. Then I alerted my friends, and we went to the hospital.”

The Urmia-born artist added: “This type of snake doesn’t exist in Turkey. There was only one, which had been brought from Syria. I bought it to take care of it. This snake lives in the wild in Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, and its antivenom exists only in these countries.”

He emphasized: “Currently, the antivenom is available only in Egypt, and it’s extremely rare. Each hospital, under the supervision of health authorities, provides four vials per patient, which totals 24 vials for treatment.”

Speaking about his injuries, Ghafoori said: “Some parts of my body are still numb, though it was worse yesterday. After the antivenom was administered, the numbness decreased, but I still have severe pain in the legs and the hand that was bitten, and I can’t move them.”

He warned: “If the antivenom is not given within the first six hours, the person becomes paralyzed and dies from respiratory failure. The hospital doctor said my survival was a miracle.”

Born in 1989 in Urmia, Ghafoori moved to Turkey to study and is now a citizen of the country. He rose to fame after participating in Turkey’s popular talent show Yetenek Sizsiniz Türkiye, ultimately winning the competition with his extraordinary skills.

Throughout the show, his breathtaking performances broke viewership records, making it the most-watched television program in Turkish history. Internationally, Ghafoori also earned the prestigious Merlin Award, earning recognition among legendary magicians such as Chris Angel and David Copperfield.