Iraqi PM al-Maliki & President Ahmadinejad0700 GMT: Ahmadinejad and Rafsanjani. Prominent Iranian analyst Sadegh Zibakalam has cast his eye on President Ahmadinejad's appearance, his first in three years, at the Expediency Council led by former President Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Zibakalam sees the event as the President's attempt to get Rafsanjani's support against the principlists challenging Ahmadinejad, even though the two men "have nothing in common". Then Zibaklam shrugs, "The Expediency Council has had no say in politics since 2005, so Ahmadinejad's presence there is of no importance."
0645 GMT: Monday starts with regime efforts to display their prominence and leadership, following the Supreme Leader's declaration to Army commanders on Sunday that the Islamic Republic is the inspiration for uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is on the second day of his visit to Tehran. Nothing of substance has emerged from Iranian media, but Sunday meetings with President Ahmadinejad and Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani were opportunities to declare that Iraq-Iran relations were opportunities for the "establishment of stability and peace in the region", standing up against the US and Israel.
Seeking further possibilities, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi is leading an Iranian delegation in Tunisia for two days of talks.
Still, Iranian State media may be stretching the rhetoric a bit far. Press TV declares, "UAE Affirms Keenness to Boost Relations with Iran", apparently unaware that the sharp reduction in trade through Dubai --- at one point this year bringing Tehran's empty threat to cut all business --- has been a major factor in Iran's economic and currency difficulties.
Posted via email from lissping
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