Khamenei critic lauded

BEIRUT | An unassuming college math student has become an unlikely hero to many in Iran for daring to criticize the country’s most powerful man to his face.

Mahmoud Vahidnia has received an outpouring of support from government opponents for the challenge - unprecedented in a country where insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a crime punishable by prison.

Perhaps most surprising, the young math whiz has so far suffered no repercussions from the confrontation at a question-and-answer session between Ayatollah Khamenei and students at Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology.

In fact, Iran’s clerical leadership appears to be touting the incident as a sign of its tolerance - so much so that some Iranians at first thought that the 20-minute exchange was staged by the government, though opposition commentators are now convinced Mr. Vahidnia was the real thing.

Details of the encounter were reported on the state news agency IRNA and in a pro-government newspaper, Keyhan, which gave its account with a headline reading, “The revolutionary leader’s fatherly response to critical youth.” Even Ayatollah Khamenei’s official Web site mentioned the incident.

Still some of those in attendance at the Oct. 28 forum say Ayatollah Khamenei appeared taken aback by the questioning and left the meeting early, according to commentary posted on pro-reform Web sites.

The session began with a speech in which Ayatollah Khamenei told the students that the “biggest crime” was to question the results of the June 12 presidential election that returned hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. Ayatollah Khamenei declared Mr. Ahmadinejad the victor despite opposition claims of widespread fraud.

After the speech, Mr. Vahidnia raised his hand and then for 20 minutes criticized the Iranian leader over the fierce crackdown on postelection protests, in which the opposition says 69 people were killed and thousands were arrested.

In brief excerpts broadcast on state TV, the thin, bespectacled Mr. Vahidnia was shown standing behind a lectern, gesturing at times for emphasis.

“I don’t know why in this country it’s not allowed to make any kind of criticism of you,” said the student, wearing a long-sleeved blue polo shirt and appearing calm.

“In the past three to five years that I have been reading newspapers, I have seen no criticism of you, not even by the Assembly of Experts, whose duty is to criticize and supervise the performance of the leader,” he said, referring to the clerical body that chooses the country’s supreme leader.

Ayatollah Khamenei countered, “We welcome criticism. We never said not to criticize us. … There’s plenty of criticism that I receive,” according to accounts in state media and on opposition Web sites.

The boldness of Mr. Vahidnia’s comments underlines how Iran’s postelection turmoil has undermined the once rock-solid taboo on challenging the supreme leader. During demonstrations, young protesters have frequently chanted “Death to the dictator” - referring to Ayatollah Khamenei - and even “Khamenei is a murderer.” Several high-ranking pro-opposition clerics have also been openly critical.

The supreme leader stands at the top of the hierarchy of Iran’s clerical rulers, and his word is supposed to be final on political issues. Scores of Iranian writers, bloggers and academics have been jailed for writing what authorities have deemed as insults to Ayatollah Khamenei.

But so far Mr. Vahidnia has been spared. The president of Sharif University even defended the student, saying he spoke within the law.

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