He was actually in the spotlight before Majlis. During Khatami's eight years he was one of the harshest critics of him and one of the forces behind the conservatives' take over of Majlis Khobregan
The first I heard and saw him was when I was a student participating in the 13 Aban rallies. I remember how they said Hojjatel Eslam Fucker is going to be speaking now and we all made jokes about it.
I think it was very soon after this speech that the guy's pictures and posters were all over the walls of Mashhad Reza houses. Familesh kheyli sooje bood and I think he finished first in Mashhad. I have no idea where he got the money from to come out of no where and spend that much.
I left Iran near the end of Khatami's first term and by then in yaroo namayandehe majles bood. Trust me, for a guy who was unheard of, he did come out of no where, spent a ton of money, finished first in Mashhad, and went from Hojjatel Eslam to Ayatollah.