Rouhani re-elected; supporters sweep Tehran council

[Oystein]

I'm pretty sure the Revolutionary Guard alone is the source of the Supreme Leader's power.

Important source, but not alone.
I agree that the RG is probably the most powerful faction within Iran, but not beyond reach of reasonable realpolitik. Such realpolitik might, for example, recognize the role of the mullahs. Not in the sense that we, "the west", want a theocraty, but as a recognition that Iran is a majority Shia country which legitimately rejects religious authority as a matter of culture. Let's help the mullahs emancipate themselves from the RG in exchange for some more religious tolerance and more meaningful democratic institutions. Let's bribe Iran with opportunities to become rich with legal, non-corrupt business - that would cut into the RG's power sources more than anything else.

 

[TubbaBlubba]

Important source, but not alone.
I agree that the RG is probably the most powerful faction within Iran, but not beyond reach of reasonable realpolitik. Such realpolitik might, for example, recognize the role of the mullahs. Not in the sense that we, "the west", want a theocraty, but as a recognition that Iran is a majority Shia country which legitimately rejects religious authority as a matter of culture. Let's help the mullahs emancipate themselves from the RG in exchange for some more religious tolerance and more meaningful democratic institutions. Let's bribe Iran with opportunities to become rich with legal, non-corrupt business - that would cut into the RG's power sources more than anything else.

Fair enough.

I have a few Iranian expat friends. Secular, modern, progressive and "western", but also fiercely proud of their heritage. As much as they might dislike the Mullahs and so on, though, they hate the idea of being dominated by America or Britain even more.

Of course they're also urbanites. I suspect the rural population of Iran is far, far more conservative than we'd prefer to think.

 

[Antonio Coceri]

There are of course serious limits to who can run for office in Iran. But within those limits, elections are suprisingly free, and results make differences.

It is depressing that the USA elects to treat Iran as the biggest, even only "enemy" in the middle east, while pussyfooting the brutal dictatorships of Saudi Arabia etc.

Saudi Arabia has oil and it sells for cheap to all Europe and the US
This is why the Italian govt never criticizes the Saudi
Otherwise, our conglomerate ENI would not be able to do business there
Link: www[dot]arabnews[dot]com/node/995506/corporate-news