A Sharia court ordered the punishment based on the system of "qisas" or fair retribution, the Etemad-e Melli newspaper said.
The man, identified only as Majid, proposed several times but was spurned by the woman, known as Ameneh, the daily paper reported.
In revenge, he threw acid in her face as she left her work in 2004, it added.
She travelled to Spain for surgery to reconstruct her face but efforts to restore her sight failed.
On returning to Iran, she asked the court for retribution, the newspaper said.
"Ever since I was subject to acid being thrown on my face, I have a constant feeling of being in danger," she said, adding that Majid had also threatened to kill her in the past.
The newspaper published pictures of Ameneh's face before the attack and, still disfigured, after reconstructive surgery.
Majid was quoted as saying he did not regret his action but added: "I threw acid on her face so that she would be mine forever.
Judges "unanimously decided to sentence the accused to 'qisas' of his body part, blinding by acid" and to pay compensation, the report said.
Judiciary officials could not be reached for comment.
The concept of qisas also holds in other cases in Iran, like murder.
A victim's family can demand the death of a convicted murderer or commute the sentence in return for financial compensation from the culprit.
source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Iran-Acid-To-Be-Dripped-Into-Spurned-Mans-Eyes-For-Disfiguring-Woman/Article/200811415164231
Update: the sentence has been postponed indefinately for now
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15076184,00.html
“It appeared that there had even been demonstrations to thank Big Brother for raising the chocolate ration to twenty grams a week. And only yesterday, he reflected, it had been announced that the ration was to be reduced to twenty grams a week. Was it possible that they could swallow that, after only twenty-four hours? Yes, they swallowed it.”
- George Orwell, ‘1984’
