Paris-based religious scholar Mohammad Javad Akbarin told Radio Farda that in that lecture Shabestari had said although the Prophet Muhammad was perfect in his mission, which was bringing people to God, he had shortcomings as a human being. The fundamentalists who could not tolerate what he said filed a case against him at the time, Akbarin said.

Iran is overhauling its education system to rid it of Western influence, the latest attempt by the government to fortify Islamic values and counter the clout of the country's increasingly secularized middle class. Starting in September, all Iranian high school students will be introduced to new courses such as "political training" and "living skills" that will warn against "perverted political movements" and encourage girls to marry at an early age, Education Ministry officials say.