Larijani resigns: the lines have been drawn

Although his resignation had been on the cards (it is not a ’surprise’ as the mainstream media have contended), the exit of top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani confirms that the Ahmadinejad government is no longer interested in negotiating over the nuclear issue.

Larijani had been in frequent negotiations with the EU – the fact that he’s has been effectively removed shows that Ahmadinejad is serious when he says that the Iran’s nuclear issue is now closed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/20/wiran320.xml

Indeed, as far as the IAEA is concerned, there is very little basis for continued negotiations from Ahmadineajd’s point of view. The IAEA have repeatedly affirmed that there is no evidence for an Iranian weapons programme. In addition, the supportive visit of Vladimir Putin, will have boosted Ahmadinejad’s point of view.

All-in-all, the effective dismissal of Larijani has been timed to send a message out to the West that Iran will not compromise at all on its nuclear programme.

As far as Iran is concerned, the lines have been drawn and the nuclear issue is off the negotiating table.

p.s. The smart move from the West would now be to get Larijani to defect. Although he is a religious conservative, he is an expert in Western philosophy, and as an intellectual is likely to be quickly disenfranchised if the leadership reject him.