Dawn Images

A prominent singer has returned to Iran after nearly two decades in exile, as authorities encourage artists living abroad to return home in a show of patriotism against the backdrop of the conflict with the United States.

Mohsen Namjoo, 50, whose work mixes Persian traditional music with more modern styles and had been living in the United States, flew into Tehran late last week, with his arrival welcomed by official media.

But his return ran into immediate controversy after a video said to be from his wife was posted criticising his move, prompting the singer to publish a swift rebuttal.

In her video published by Prague-based Radio Farda, Namjoo’s wife was quoted as saying that she had been completely unaware of his decision to return and the singer had effectively been missing for several days.

Namjoo responded in a video published by the ISNA news agency on Sunday that while he had made the decision to return “a few months ago”, he had kept the move under wraps.

He hailed the “utmost kindness” he had encountered since his return and responded to criticism by saying “I have come to see my homeland and my family”. The official IRNA news agency on Friday praised his “patriotic positions” in opposing the US-Israeli strikes during the war that caused widespread infrastructure damage and civilian casualties.

Originally published in Dawn, September 1st, 2026