Iran blocks nuclear inspectors

I just can't believe Saddam, er Ahmadinejad would do such a thing. Unprecedented!

In this AP story, Iran reportedly blocked 38 UN nuclear inspectors from entering the country probably in response to the recent sanctions imposed against the regime.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said some inspectors were admitted, but maintained that Iran could decide who should be turned away.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency submits a long list of inspectors to member countries and the countries have the right to oppose the visit by some inspectors," Mottaki told the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

The head of the parliamentary committee of national security and foreign policy, Alaeddin Borojerdi, had been quoted by a students' news agency as saying Iran had barred 38 inspectors.

Last month, the U.N. Security Council imposed limited trade sanctions on Iran because of its refusal to cease uranium enrichment...

Iran is increasingly unpopular, despite its anti-Americanism. Consequently, or more accurately, because of Ahmadinejad, Iranian public opinion of their regime reflects this as well. And surprise surprise, public opinion provides opportunity a plenty:

In comments published Monday, Iran's most senior dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, joined the criticism. He said Iranians have the right to nuclear power, but questioned Ahmadinejad's dealings with the international community in obtaining it.

"One has to deal with the enemy with wisdom, not provoke it," he said, according to a copy of his comments made available to The Associated Press. "This (provocation) only creates problems for the country," he told a group of reformists and opponents of Ahmadinejad on Friday in the holy city of Qom, 80 miles south of the capital Tehran.

Montazeri, 85, is one of a few grand ayatollahs, the most senior theologians of the Shiite Muslim faith. He had been the designated successor of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the 1979 Islamic revolution...

As much as the world and the U.S. want Ahmadinejad out, let's just hope the CIA doesn't give any aid to this bandwagon commandeering Ayatollah.