In his four years as president, Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad has made his tours of provincial cities the centrepiece of attempts to portray himself as protector of the Iranian people.

The thousands who gathered in the city of Karaj last weekend had the same demands as the millions who have attended previous events. They carried letters – to deliver to Mr Ahmadi-Nejad in person – demanding cash or help with all sorts of other problems, from education to employment and housing.