Whilst he does not possess absolute authority, on Iran’s political stage nothing can be done without the green light of Ayatollah Khamenei: “he can no more be bypassed than the Great Recession.” ++ The relevance for the US is that dealing with Tehran begins with dealing with this “supreme leader.” ++ Obama must promise Khamenei that the US has discarded its goal of regime change, his worst
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From the Alborz Mountains one catches sight of Tehran, a world apart in terms of political and religious liberties. ++ In the mountains “everything” is permitted, and several young people flee there to escape the physical and mental repression of the metropolis. ++ Change will eventually spill over into the entire country; it is just a matter of time. ++ The West has a part to play to
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