Jubilation In Iran

"We are on a path of moderation .  We have to enhance mutual trust between Iran and other countries. We have to build trust."
Iranian President-Elect Hassan Rowhani

Dissimulation is the name of the game. And the priceless element of time is the prize to be seized with the success of impressing upon the Islamic Republic of Iran's suspicious detractors that the moderate new president must be given a decent interval to begin to turn the Iranian ship of state toward a new chapter in its relations with the outside world.

And, to judge by the reaction from the international community, most eager and willing to accept that Iranians took it upon themselves by a clever manipulation of events, permitted them somehow by their stern Supreme Leader, to bring to authority a man they can trust, and whom the world at large can also trust, to do the right thing, anything is possible.

That the Iranians are past masters of deceptive rhetoric, of playing for time, of persuading their interlocutors that they are indeed seriously considering their obligations toward the world community in adhering to guidelines as set down by the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Commission, seems to have escaped the notice of world leaders, hopefully looking on and anticipating a break-through in relations.

Iran's great friend within the international community, Russia, has advised the critical West that Iran is prepared to forego further 20% uranium enrichment. Drop the sanctions. Iran has spent, after all, billions upon billions in supporting the regime of Syria's Bashar al Assad in its war against its own people, and Iran simply cannot sustain further economically-damaging sanctions.

Of course Iran also holds the distinction of being the only country in the world that has threatened to demolish a neighbour.

And the acquisition of nuclear weapons, its determination to lead the Muslim world, its support of terrorism in training and arming Hezbollah and Hamas, are simply incidental to the good intentions of the Republic. Just as North Korea has made new overtures to the United States for negotiations that preclude sacrificing of its nuclear program, so too has its Middle East counterpart also corroborated that its nuclear program is beyond interference.

Which hasn't stopped President-elect Hassan Rowhani from piously claiming that greater "nuclear transparency" is required. And pledging to ensure that this is precisely what will occur, in coming to a greater, more open and more mutually satisfying agreement with the international community. He is pledging to launch a "new era" between his country and the international community to break the current impasse.

Trust him.