WarSclerotic

Then-President of Iran Mohammad Khatami arrived in Paris in the fall of 1999 to take part in a UNESCO conference. Khatami, who gained a surprise victory in the election two years prior, defeating the ultra-conservative Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri, drew the most attention when he adopted the slogan “dialogue among civilizations.” He was perceived as the Iranian Mikhail Gorbachev — the leader who was a product of the system, but who would destroy the system.

Hasan Rouhani, Iran’s new president, is currently headed to New York to take part in the annual U.N. General Assembly. He, too, defeated an ultra-conservative candidate — Said Jalili — in the last presidential election. He, too, is drawing the most attention right now. Rouhani, who coordinated Iran’s nuclear program during the Khatami era, is supposed to be the one who will ultimately destroy it, or so the optimistic world hopes. At least partially. As far as the international community is concerned, when it comes to uranium, it is all about the percentages (of enrichment).

It is still unclear what is in store for us as the Iranian festival unfolds at the U.N. headquarters. But one thing is clear: The similarity between Khatami’s Iran and Rouhani’s Iran cannot be denied — at least on the surface; at least judging by what we are hearing. How different, however, is the Islamic republic under the rule of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad than it is today! It was only yesterday that New York hotels refused to accommodate the affected Holocaust denier Ahmadinejad. Suddenly, New York City is welcoming Iran. Judging by the planned meeting schedule, Rouhani is starting to be seen as the star attraction.

The Iranian economy is in tatters. Rouhani genuinely wants to bring results. There is no doubt that he coordinates every move with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is also well aware of the rage on the Iranian streets. They both want to prompt the West to lift sanctions while holding on to their nuclear program. In their minds, it is possible, and they are playing for time.

Not everyone in Iran is enthusiastic about Rouhani’s moderate line. It is enough to observe the reactions of the generals and the commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to understand how difficult it is for Iran to suddenly change its tune. But even if it is all a ruse, everyone has agreed to keep mum and portray a different kind of Iran at the U.N.

In the meantime, the French media is already reporting on the upcoming meeting between Rouhani and French President Francois Hollande — the first meeting between a French president and his Iranian counterpart since Khatami. The British foreign secretary and the EU foreign policy chief are also supposed to meet with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif — a senior diplomat who speaks Oxford English and once served as ambassador to the U.N. It is safe to assume that by some coincidence, Zarif will also meet with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the two will not miss an opportunity to shake hands. Just a month ago, the U.S. and France were threatening to launch a military strike on Damascus, and tomorrow we might be in for an Iranian love affair. Everyone wants results, everyone wants photo ops. In a world that fears a bombing of Iran more than an Iranian bomb, anything is possible.

The Persians have always had a gift for sensing diplomatic nuances. They understood very well that Rouhani suits today’s world like a glove. It is not clear what will become of the Iranian nuclear program, but there is no doubt that Rouhani has accurately identified the world’s fears and is likely to coin a new turn of phrase: “By way of deception shalt thou make peace.”