Iran: Condition Uh Oh

The "Voice of Bahrain" reports that Iranian cleric Rafsanjani intends to run for president of Iran.

Powerful Iranian cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani declared yesterday he was set to stand again for president in the June 17 election and challenge a field of candidates so far dominated by hardliners. "The issue of the presidency is my current preoccupation and although I would like somebody else to take this responsibility, I think I must take this bitter medicine," the charismatic cleric was quoted as saying by the official Irna news agency. Rafsanjani has been seen as the leading contender in the race to replace incumbent reformist Mohammad Khatami, who is nearing the end of his second consecutive term in office, and a string of recent informal opinion polls have put him ahead of his potential rivals by a wide margin.

If this weren't so terrifying, it would almost be funny. Rafsanjani, of course, is the stable, seasoned Mullah who was reported to say (just after 9/11, no less) that Muslims should use nuclear weapons against Israel. And, not to worry, Rafsanjani is perfectly willing to sacrifice millions of Palestinian men, women and children, too... so long as the evil Jews are destroyed.

If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world...

So... Rafsanjani is going to run against a field of hard-liners. Wow. I think we need to raise the Mideast Instability Level to "Oh, Sh*t".

Gulf Daily News: Rafsanjani to run for president

Update: WND puts the story in context with its cheery reporting: Iran plans to knock out U.S. with 1 nuclear bomb (Tests missiles for electromagnetic pulse weapon that could destroy America's technical infrastructure) and Wargaming Scenario: NYC hit by terrorist nuke