Maybe There Is Some Rationality In Iran After All

Rebuke in Iran to Its President on Nuclear Role

Maybe, just maybe, there are some rational minds at the higher levels of control in the current Iranian government after all. The rantings of the lunatic currently holding the office of president in Iran are not newsworthy because he is merely a figure head. But in the past the real power has remained silent on some of his more disdainful and lunatic commentary and actions that undermine the truth.

But the big question--the real question--is whether the comments by Iran's "supreme leader" are designed to reel this lunatic back into reality or merely a dog and pony show to provide the rest of the world a new spin on Iran as a more reasonable nation?

Iran’s outspoken president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, appears to be under pressure from the highest authorities in Iran to end his involvement in its nuclear program, a sign that his political capital is declining as his country comes under increasing international pressure.

Just one month after the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran to curb its nuclear program, two hard-line newspapers, including one owned by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on the president to stay out of all matters nuclear.

In the hazy world of Iranian politics, such a public rebuke was seen as a sign that the supreme leader — who has final say on all matters of state — might no longer support the president as the public face of defiance to the West.

It is the first sign that Mr. Ahmadinejad has lost any degree of Ayatollah Khamenei’s confidence, a potentially damaging development for a president who has rallied his nation and defined his administration by declaring nuclear power Iran’s “inalienable right.”

It was unclear, however, whether this was merely an effort to improve Iran’s public image by lowering Mr. Ahmadinejad’s profile or was signaling a change in policy.

The presidency is a relatively weak position with no official authority over foreign policy, the domain of the supreme leader. But Mr. Ahmadinejad has used his post as a bully pulpit to insert himself into the nuclear debate, and as long as he appeared to enjoy Ayatollah Khamenei’s support, he could continue.