THE TELEGRAPH: A college mathematics student has become an unlikely hero to many Iranians after he insulted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to his face.
Mahmoud Vahidnia has received an outpouring of support from government opponents for the challenge – unprecedented in a country where criticising the supreme leader is a crime punishable by prison.
The confrontation happened at a question-and-answer session between Khamenei and students at Tehran's Sharif Technical University.
Some of those in attendance at the Oct 28 forum said the Ayatollah appeared taken aback by the questioning and left the meeting early.
The session began with a speech in which the supreme leader told the students the "biggest crime" was to question the results of the June 12 presidential election that returned hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. The Ayatollah declared Mr Ahmadinejad the victor despite opposition claims of widespread fraud.
After the speech, Mr Vahidnia raised his hand, then for 20 minutes he criticised the Iranian leader over the fierce crackdown on post-election protests, in which the opposition said 69 people were killed and thousands were arrested.
In brief excerpts broadcast on state TV, the thin, bespectacled Vahidnia was shown standing behind a podium, gesturing.
"I don't know why in this country it's not allowed to make any kind of criticism of you," said the student. >>> The Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Friday, November 06, 2009
