Mahmoud Vahidnia
Encyclopedia
Mahmoud Vahidnia is an Iran
ian student. He is a second year student in the Department of Mathematics at Sharif University of Technology
.
Vahidnia got significant media attention for his face to face criticism of Iran's supreme leader on October 28, 2009 during a meeting between Ali Khamenei
and students. During this meeting, Khamenei was challenged by Vahidnia in what was called "an unusual encounter". The event was being broadcast by Iranian state-run TV. That made the authorities stop airing the programme.
Citations of the speech
On October 28, 2009, during the annual meeting of Tehran intellectual elites with the Supreme Leader, in Tehran University, Vahidinia spoke for 20 minutes without interruptions, critiquing the status of ignorant idol in a golden cage of the Supreme ayatollah Khamenei
. Some time before, Khamenei had announced that « Contestation of the 12 June vote is the worse crime possible ». The Iranian state-run TV stopped the broadcasting, but the audience's cellphones managed to record the full speech. Mahmoud asked : « I want to ask you something: why does nobody in this country dare to criticize you? Do you think that you never make mistakes? Isn't this ignorance? You have been changed into a kind of inaccessible idol that nobody can criticize. I don't understand why everybody is forbidden to criticize your choices. ».
Structure of the speech
Vahidnia classified his criticism in four parts:
Vahidnia was ranked 37th on 2009 national math Olympiad in Iran and has received the gold medal for it.http://www.ysc.ac.ir/news/fileNews_175.pdf Although some media reported he was the "international mathematics Olympiad winner"http://www.roozonline.com/english/news/newsitem/article/2009/november/02//khamenei-criticized-in-person.html, he didn't compete at any international mathematics Olympiads.http://www.imo-official.org/results.aspx
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian student. He is a second year student in the Department of Mathematics at Sharif University of Technology
Sharif University of Technology
Sharif University of Technology is a university of higher education in technology, engineering and physical sciences in Tehran. Sharif University of Technology is one of the most prestigious universities in the country, and is considered Iran's MIT...
.
Vahidnia got significant media attention for his face to face criticism of Iran's supreme leader on October 28, 2009 during a meeting between Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
and students. During this meeting, Khamenei was challenged by Vahidnia in what was called "an unusual encounter". The event was being broadcast by Iranian state-run TV. That made the authorities stop airing the programme.
Citations of the speech
On October 28, 2009, during the annual meeting of Tehran intellectual elites with the Supreme Leader, in Tehran University, Vahidinia spoke for 20 minutes without interruptions, critiquing the status of ignorant idol in a golden cage of the Supreme ayatollah Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
. Some time before, Khamenei had announced that « Contestation of the 12 June vote is the worse crime possible ». The Iranian state-run TV stopped the broadcasting, but the audience's cellphones managed to record the full speech. Mahmoud asked : « I want to ask you something: why does nobody in this country dare to criticize you? Do you think that you never make mistakes? Isn't this ignorance? You have been changed into a kind of inaccessible idol that nobody can criticize. I don't understand why everybody is forbidden to criticize your choices. ».
Structure of the speech
Vahidnia classified his criticism in four parts:
- State run TV: IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran BroadcastingIslamic Republic of Iran BroadcastingIslamic Republic of Iran Broadcaster, or IRIB, , formerly called the National Iranian Radio and Television until the Islamic revolution of 1979, is a giant Iranian corporation in control of radio and television which is among the largest media organizations in Asia and Pacific region, and a regular...
) for trying to show a reverse image of what is happening in Iran after June 12, 2009 election and destroying the figures that people trust. He brought up the fact that since the head of IRIB is selected by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, Khamenei is either unaware of what is happening in an organization under his control or he has direct control and is responsible for their programs. - Freedom of speech: intelligence-based atmosphere ruling the media and press and brought up the issues that critical newspapers have been facing. He asked for an end to closure of press offices and demanded freedom of the press even when they criticize the supreme leader.
- Supreme leader is criticize-able: Lack of openness in society so that people and intellectuals could freely criticize the supreme leader since the supreme leader, like anyone else, is prone to making mistakes. In his speech, Vahidnia mentioned that the ones around the supreme leader are making an idol.
- Organization of power: Cycle of power in the Islamic Republic and the structure of Guardian CouncilGuardian CouncilThe Guardian Council of the Constitution , also known as the Guardian Council or Council of Guardians, is an appointed and constitutionally-mandated 12-member council that wields considerable power and influence in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
and Assembly of ExpertsAssembly of ExpertsThe Assembly of Experts of Iran , also translated as Council of Experts, is a deliberative body of 86 Mujtahids that is charged with electing and removing the Supreme Leader of Iran and supervising his activities.Members of the assembly are elected from a government-screened list of candidates by...
.
Vahidnia was ranked 37th on 2009 national math Olympiad in Iran and has received the gold medal for it.http://www.ysc.ac.ir/news/fileNews_175.pdf Although some media reported he was the "international mathematics Olympiad winner"http://www.roozonline.com/english/news/newsitem/article/2009/november/02//khamenei-criticized-in-person.html, he didn't compete at any international mathematics Olympiads.http://www.imo-official.org/results.aspx
See also
- Ahmad ZeidabadiAhmad ZeidabadiAhmad Zeidabadi is an Iranian journalist, academic, writer and political analyst and the secretary general of Office for Strengthening Unity. He is one of the notable figures of the Iranian reform movement....
- 2009 Iranian election protests2009 Iranian election protestsProtests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi occurred in major cities in Iran and around the world starting June 13, 2009...