Photography: The Ayatollah of Instagram

It's a surprise to find the Grand Ayatollah Khamenei staring out at you on Instagram (left)

He may have a penchant for unusual headwear and wire-rimmed specs but it's still a surprise to find the Grand Ayatollah Khamenei staring out at you on Instagram).

The Supreme Leader, 73, isn't exactly apostolic in his fondness for social media. Maybe by joining the photo-sharing site he's just trying to imitate Barack Obama, then, who joined it in March. If so, he has a long walk ahead of him.

The Ayatollah's pictures form a rather uninspiring tableau: we have him praying on one, and glad-handing on the other three, and the lighting's off on them all. So far, they have drawn 48 "likes" apiece. Obama's last picture drew 33,574.