A New Kaveh Emerges

I have talked about one of Iran's mythical heroes, Kaveh the Blacksmith before. The mythical Kaveh is a blacksmith who challenges the demon King, Zahak, in his presence and in Zahak's imperial court and then leads the Iranian resistance against Zahak's tyranny. Yesterday news reached us of a new Kaveh who challenged the modern day Zahak, i.e the Supreme Leader, in the very midst of the demon's own den.

Only this Kaveh is not a blacksmith, he does not seem to have the biceps we were used to seeing in the paintings of Kaveh in our text books, the new Kaveh is in fact a young Iranian computer programming genius, called Mahmood Vahidnia and a student at Sharif University who dared criticise the Supreme Leader face to face.

It was supposed to be a typical Supreme Leader sermon, where the Supreme Leader ranted on and the audience sheepishly listened and followed. The audience on this occasion were Iran's gifted academic elite who have won honours and medals in international academic competitions.

Mahmood Vahidnia however did not want to just sit there sheepishly and nod along with the others. After much waving of his hand and asking to be allowed to ask a question, the Supreme Leader himself pointed at him and asked him to come up.

'I have been reading the newspapers and magazines more seriously in the last five years, yet I have never seen any criticism of you. Those surrounding you have turned you into an idol." Vahidnia shocked the congregation. The Baseej students started protesting by shouting 'Finish him' and 'Time is up' but Vahidnia continued to lambast the state broadcasting by saying how can anyone think the state TV has accurately reflected the recent events of last months in Iran? 'Since you appoint the head of the state broadcasting either you are responsible for the biased coverage or you have lost all control of it' Vahidnia asked applying his computer programming logic.

While the Baseej were gritting their teeth, the rest of the elites heartened by Vahidnia's fearlessness started clapping and cheering him. Vahidnia on a roll then continued 'How is unity achieved? by speeches? no it is as a result of the way the state behaves towards the people...'

In repsonse, the Supreme Leader tried to distance himself from the State broadcasting by saying 'it is impossible for him to watch every program and approve of it but there is so much progress in the country that the state TV is not showing you youngsters.' He also denied that he does not welcome criticism and said on the contrary he welcomes it. Nevertheless the Supreme Leader was so visibly annoyed that he left the stage without leading the prayers which were supposed to take place at the end of the program.

The encounter was reported on the Supreme Leader's own website.
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=8294