Get the popcorn: Iran's "back-off" show is on!

I consider it a tactical "media" back off that reflects regime's fear and recognition of its instability, but I welcome it--albeit VERY cautiously--because at least it is moving us beyond the rhetoric of civil-war that was starting by the Ahmadinejadist/Mesbahists on one side and the radicalist green-pompom shakers on the other.

More of regime's ultra-conservatives are coming out to either pose as defeated and disillusioned--such as Hosseininan (to perhaps give the illusion that the hardliners are going to take the back seat); or to suddenly start talking moderate and acknowledge the "need" for acknowledgement of the opposition--such as the conservative Motahari (who is trying to trivialize the situation as "jealousy" and "stubbornness" resulting from "personal ego"--and not fundamental constitutional flaws that people are protesting to--and is calling for Ahmadinejad to apologize); or Raja News that is trying to "propose" President Khatami as the moderating figure and a front-face to the Greens (attempting to kick Mousavi and KAroubi off the ring); or even donkey-poets and Fars-News favorites such as Alireza Qhazveh, who is protesting to fundamentalists intolerance of Mohsen Rezayee's "solution letter". Even conservative newspapers have suddenly dared to become critical of the Intelligence ministry's intolerance to publication of Mousavi's "solution" statement (#17)!

That the IRIB airs an interview with a leading conservative who is ALSO critical of Ahmadinejad and acknowledges the need for reconciliation with "the people" is significant. One of the first "solution" points suggested by Hashemi in the first Friday prayer after the earliest protest to coup d'etat was that IRIB abandon its biased and single-sided narrative to regain its credibility.

Another softening in the behavior of the IRIB appeared last week when they invited Mohammad Dadkan. Dadkan, the previous head of the Iranian soccer federation who was fired from his position by Ahmadinejad's hand-picked incompetent Sports "minister", Ali-Abadi openly criticized politicization of Iran's sports and made a statement that his highest points in his career were being appointed to his position during the presidency of the reformist President Khatami, and being fired by the incompetent Ali-abadi during Ahmadinejad's regime!

Interestingly, shortly after, Aliabadi made a public statement, acknowledging the politicization of Irans sports and direct meddling of Ahmadinejad in the Sports organization. Almost at the same time, Afshin Ghotbi, the once adored and now hated head soccer coach acknowledged that Iran's once powerful soccer was struggling in political mud!

One other conciliatory gesture is the fact-finding committee's report, indicting 12 individuals as the main perpetrators of the Kahrizak-Prison crimes, and throwing Ahmadinejad's butcher hyena Ghazi Mortazavi in the ring of blame (interestingly reported by government-channel Press TV). Although indictment of Mortazavi is not public yet, but many suspect he will, similar to Saeed Emami, be victimized to save Vali-Faghi's turban. (Good riddance, I would say!)

Nevertheless, the hardliners have not given up! Yesterday, Karoubi was violently attacked in Qazvin, where he attended a private mourning ceremony hosted by a cleric. Today, as he tried to leave Qazvin to not jeopardize the safety of his friends, his car came under gun fire. Despite the "conciliatory" posturing, the harliners are adamantly after Mousavi's and Karoubi's head: implying Ahmadinejad's head for Mousavi+Karoubi's combined--unless they swear allegiance to Imam Khamenei!!

It is not unlikely that Hashemi has entered a pact with his hand-picked pal, Khamenei, to get rid of the "extremists" of their camps, in exchange for a few years longer grip on economic power. However, Mousavi survived both Khamenei and Hashemi to remain in the circle of the fanatic in chief, Khomeini (old pictures of them all). By comparison, Ahmadinejad's a dispensable rookie, especially if he loses IRGC (or Mashayee/Mossad's?!) artillery support! Cognition of his low esteem within the establishment may very well explain his erratic attention-seeking behaviors--posing as the champion of social justice!!!

I am watching nervously. Clearly, I am not the only Iranian who is suspicious of the macabre of the cadaver (the regime) conspiracy! The Iranian's collective vigilance about the regime's tactical moves gives me some comfort; the IRI must handle a much tougher and smarter crowd this time around; they will soon realize that media posturing won't get them too far! They are wrong to think the greens are just virtual propaganda balloons who will deflate with a couple of pokes! There pretense to "reconciliation" doesn't divert our attention from their continued violation of human right abuse--which a few hours ago started aiming at Bahai targets. Notwithstanding their superficiality and lack of ingenuity, I still welcome these conservative's efforts because clearly, they are FORCED by the will of the people to at least try to adopt a "pseudo-democratic" lingo (or at least utter the word freedom!)