Well the election in Iran did not go the way that people hoped or perhaps even foresaw. There was a bit of disappointment outside Iran and within perhaps that Rafsanjani lost the election to Ahmadinejad, something that echoes the response to the last two presidential elections in the United States. Rafsanjani was reported to be the moderate but that is a relative term. The streets of Iran seem peaceful at the moment so there does not appear to be a chance of a Ukraine-like series of protests bring the nation to a tense stand-still. Having just finished Reading Lolita in Tehran and hearing what the author reported on Rafsanjani's previous term as president and the powers that are held by the clerical overseers, I get the impression that Ahmadinejad will simply do the job in a manner that meets with less resistance from his bosses than Rafsanjani would.
I'm still reading as much as I can about the country before heading over, though I haven't had much time yet. There is an article in the current issue of Vanity Fair that features and extensive report on life in Iran. I haven't read it yet but forwarded a link to my mother who wrote back, with some degree of surprise that one can shake hands with an Iranian woman. I'll have to get around to reading it shortly.
Meanwhile I'm wondering if the "summer" weather in Calgary will improve enough for the 38 degree temperatures that are in store for me.
