Book claims Brigitte slapped husband Macron after seeing messages from Iranian actress on his phone

Brigitte Macron's infamous slap of her husband Emmanuel Macron before descending the plane's steps in Vietnam, went viral. A book now claims that the reason behind this incident was Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani. Brigitte apparently saw a message on her husband's phone from Farahani and then smacked him over it. The video went viral in May last year, leaving people speculating about what could have transpired on the plane to make the French First Lady act in this way. When asked about the push in the face, Macron dismissed it as "nothing", describing it as merely a "bickering, or rather joking" with his wife. However, French journalist Florian Tardif claims there was a valid reason for Brigitte acting this way. He writes in his new book, A (Nearly) Perfect Couple, that the "classic 'couple's scene" happened because of “a well-known figure. An Iranian actress: Golshifteh Farahani.”

Macron once reportedly told Farahani that he finds her “very pretty”

She saw a message from her on Macron's phone, Tardif claims, adding that Macron had a "platonic" relationship with her for a few months. But then he sent her "messages that went quite far", and even told her, "I find you very pretty." During an interview on RTL radio on Wednesday, the journalist said, "That's what I've been told by those close to him, and that's what I'm saying this morning." He added that he himself confirmed it. Notably, Tardiff has been following Macron since 2017, and his new book, which he asserts is based on facts, promises to reveal the "forbidden zones" of the French couple.

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The messages caused tension between the couple on the plane, and the arguments ultimately reached the cameras while the presidential plane was on the tarmac at Hanoi airport. "This private scene became public because there was a misunderstanding on the plane. We thought the argument was over. It wasn't," Tardiff said. The Elysee reportedly later regretted hiding it and thought it could have been used to show the world that they were a "real couple" and not a "perfect couple."

Brigitte Macron's brigade denies claim that purported relationship with an actress led to the slap

However, those close to Brigitte Macron have categorically denied the claims made in the book. Her entourage rejected the idea that she checks her husband's phone. A person close to the First Lady told Politico that the incident caught on camera was not because of the alleged affair.

Golshifteh Farahani shot down rumours of an affair with Macron

Farahani was born in Tehran but lives in exile after refusing to wear a hijab while acting in international films. The 42-year-old has been linked to the 48-year-old French President in the past. However, the actress dismissed all claims, telling the Gala magazine last year, "I watch, I observe: what can I do? It doesn't even bother me. What's the point?" She added, "The question is why people are interested in this kind of story. I think there's a lack of love in some people, and they need to create such romances to fill that void."