An aide to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has come under fire for attending a ceremony that involved actions deemed insulting to the Koran, a row that has given fuel to the Iranian president’s opponents before next year’s election. In comments published on Sunday, opponents targeted his vice-president, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, who is in charge of a culture and tourism body, for hosting a ceremony where women in traditional dress carried in the Koran, Islam’s holy book, to music. Media described the ceremony as a “dance.” “Violation of the sanctity (of the Koran) in the presence of your Excellency’s deputy and under his management … causes deep regret for every Muslim,” the head of the Islamic Coalition Front, Mohammad-Nabbi Habibi, said in a letter to the president.
