Shoe Thrower Disrupts Speech by Iranian President

Jobless Men Disrupt Iran President Speech: Reports

December 12, 2011

AFP - Laid-off workers complaining about unpaid wages disrupted a speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday by shouting and throwing objects, news websites and an agency reported.

One of the men threw a "pair of shoes" at Ahmadinejad, according to a report by a little-known website, Ghasednews.ir, that was picked up by the mainstream Mehr news agency and the website of the Tehran Times newspaper.

Ghasednews.ir said the man was attacked by Ahmadinejad supporters and had to be rescued by security personnel.

Other websites, including the hardline outlet Khabaronline.ir, said only unspecified "objects" were thrown by disgruntled former textile workers in the northern city of Sari demanding a year of unpaid back pay.

State media and the president's office were silent on the reported incident.

AFP, which like other foreign media is subject to reporting restrictions in Iran, could not independently confirm the reports.