A vandal has desecrated the tomb of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khatami, father of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami, state news agencies reported on Monday. The offender "had sprayed the tombstone with white paint," ISNA news agency quoted Ahmadi Kamali, the governor of central city of Ardekan where the late Khatami is buried, as saying. Kamali said the paint covered an inscription on the grave bearing a message from the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who spearheaded the Islamic revolution of 1979.
Mehr news agency said the tomb was vandalised on Sunday night. Ayatollah Khatami was the representative of Khomeini in Yazd province. He was even reportedly attacked by hard-liners on February 11 while on way to participate in the traditional rally marking the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution.