THE BLINDING OF an Iranian criminal with acid as punishment for him doing the same to a woman seven years ago has reportedly been postponed just hours before it was due to take place.

The so-called eye for an eye retribution which the victim Ameneh Bahrami had demanded be carried out on Majid Movahedi after he threw a jar of acid over her in 2004 has been postponed, according to Reuters which cites Iranian news agencies.

No reason has been given for the postponement.

Bahrami had asked for such a retribution in court after she was severely disfigured and blinded by an attack by Movahedi in 2004 when he threw a jar of acid in her face after she had rejected several marriage proposals.

Bahrami was forced to undergo at least 17 operations and had said she wished she could drip the acid herself.

The procedure was due to be carried out at the judiciary hospital in the capital Tehran with a doctor and representatives of the coroners’ office as well as the prosecution present, reports The Telegraph.

Drops of acid were to be administered in both eyes whilst the convicted was rendered unconscious.

Bahrami now lives in Spain and has reportedly written a book about her experience.

Human rights groups condemned the punishment which was to be carried out under a sentence called qisas, meaning retribution in kind, which is in accordance with Islamic sharia law.