Word: ahmadinejad
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...outside world used to the heated rhetoric of its President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran might seem eager to jump at the chance to get involved in the current conflict between Israel, Lebanon and the Iranian-backed militant group Hizballah. But in fact, with its nuclear dispute unresolved and the risk of confrontation with the U.S. still looming, Iran can ill afford to play an active role in the escalating crisis. The top leadership in Tehran is focused on settling the nuclear issue diplomatically, and fears that if the mess in Lebanon spreads, Iran's thorny negotiation track with the West could...
...Iran's cautiousness might not be obvious to the outside world, since Ahmadinejad rushed to warn Israel about the consequences of extending its offensive to Syria: "[This] will be equivalent to an attack on the whole Islamic world, and [Israel] will face a crushing response," he said during a phone conversation with Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to the official Iranian news agency...
...Iran may avoid getting drawn into the conflict, but that doesn't mean Ahmadinejad isn't eager to exploit the moment to advance his popularity in the Arab and Islamic world. While other influential regional players like Saudi Arabia have tried to ease tensions by calling on Hizballah to show restraint, Ahmadinejad's comments have been aimed at raising the temperature. "Those who keep silent are complicit in the Zionist regime's barbarism," he said in a public speech, a jab at the refusal of Arab leaders to cheer on Hizballah. In an address the next day, he said...
...talks, but now that appears off the table. Other moderates, including Egypt's Mubarak and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, also seem eclipsed. In contrast, it is Khaled Meshal, the militant leader of Hamas in exile, and Hassan Nasrallah, Hizballah's chief in Lebanon, both backed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran and Assad in Syria, who are driving current developments...
...cleric's allies are sensitive to the perception that Ahmadinejad's celebrity has caused a decline in the Supreme Leader's public profile. "He's not being overshadowed at all," says the official with close ties to Khamenei. But a senior Iranian official and a Western diplomat say Khamenei reprimanded Ahmadinejad for his declaration that Israel should be "wiped off the map," and analysts in Tehran say Khamenei is worried about Ahmadinejad's uneven management of domestic affairs. The Western diplomat says Ahmadinejad is still "on probation"; some Iranians speculate that his unpredictability may force Khamenei to replace him. Says...