Fehkhtegan newspaper, on Monday, 9 Shahrivar, wrote that the makers of “Arash” have not provided a clear explanation about the nature of the “side issues” mentioned.

Referring to Mohammadzadeh’s statements two weeks earlier in support of Palestine, Fehkhtegan raised the possibility of a connection between that stance and his being dropped from “Arash.”

The newspaper also questioned the makers’ argument of “the lack of audience interest” and wrote that after ticket sales for the show began, despite the fact that some tickets were priced at several million tomans, audiences went ahead and bought them.

In the statement by the “Arash” production team, “the lack of audience interest” is explicitly cited as one of the reasons for leaving Mohammadzadeh out; a reason that, unlike the usual cases of actor changes, is not related to scheduling problems, contractual issues, or artistic disagreements.

The decision was made while support for Palestine and opposition to Israel are among the main positions of the Islamic Republic. However, in the days before Mohammadzadeh was removed, some social media users, in reaction to his position in support of Palestine, had spoken about boycotting “Arash” and refusing to buy tickets for the show.