Guinness World Records has bestowed the world's shortest man title on an "outgoing and kind" Iranian villager who is just 2ft 1.68in tall.
Afshin Esmaeil Ghaderzadeh, 20, who is from a remote village in Iran's West Azerbaijan Province, said becoming the new shortest male as of Tuesday was "like a dream" after he was found to be 6.86cm shorter than the previous record holder.
The previous shortest man was Edward Niño Hernandez, 30, from Bogotá in Colombia, measured 72.1 cm (2 ft 4.38 in) tall.
Soccer fan Afshin wears clothes designed for three-year-old children and hopes his new-found fame will help him to support his parents, who sometimes struggle to find the money for his specialist care.
Guinness World Records (GWR) Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday and Official Adjudicator Kanzy El Defrawy both attended the measurement ceremony at the GWR Dubai office.
To ensure Afshin had won the new record, he was measured three times on the day of measurement.
Afshin’s life in Northern Iran hasn’t been easy. Unable to attend school, he struggled with literacy but recently learned to write his name.
He was also pleased to have been gifted a phone from a friend recently, but he finds it difficult to carry and use.
Guinness said he is very outgoing and kind, and popular with the locals in his village.
His parents and the community he lives in call him by the name “Mohammed".
Afshin's family live in a modest home and despite his parents working, they sometimes struggle to provide enough for his living expenses, medication and medical treatment.
Afshin can't travel around the village alone and is always escorted by one of his parents. While he can actually walk, he sometimes prefers to be carried.
“I know who the Tallest man living in the world is. I might fit in the palms of his hands," he added.
Clothes are always a struggle for people with short stature. The clothes that fit his body are the same size as those of a three-year-old child, so the designs do not usually fit his age anymore.
Afshin is a big soccer fan – his favourite players are fellow GWR record-breakers Cristiano Ronaldo and Iran’s former national captain, Ali Daei.
Unfortunately his size precludes him from taking part in any sports. Afshin also loves to sing and dance and he’s quick to show off his footwork when he hears his favourite Iranian Kurdish music.
Afshin was not lucky enough to have owned any of Guinness World Records books, but human-body related records are his favourite.
“Just thinking about being part of the Guinness World Records family is like a dream. I struggle to believe it sometimes. It is like you wake up the next day and the entire world now knows who you are. That’s magical,” said Afshin.
“I like the attention I get from people. It makes me feel special,” he elaborated.
He was born with body weight of 700 grams (1.5 pounds) and has grown to be almost 6.5 kg (14.3 pounds), so a grown cat weighs almost the same as him.
“My dream is to be able to help my parents. This global recognition might help me achieve my dream," he said.
Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief at Guinness World Records said: “It's been a privilege to meet with Afshin and his family, and to confirm him as the new world's shortest living adult man.
"At just 65.24 cm, he not only comfortably beats the existing record but he's also one of the shortest men to ever hold this title.
"This is one of those fundamental human-body superlatives, and receiving this official confirmation is a potentially life-changing moment in this charming young man's life.
"Judging by the enthusiasm he's shown during his visit to Dubai, he's more than ready to enjoy his new-found celebrity status and become a household name.
"He's already ticked one item off his bucket list: to visit the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.”
