News from Iran...

'Iran’s hardliners surge ahead in poll'

There are two ways to react to this headline from The Times. Either...

This is the headline that strikes fear into the heart of the West

Or...

Cor blimey, who’d have thought it? The hardliners are ahead in Iran. What are the chances, eh?

I fall into the Cor Blimey camp.

And how does that headline shed any light on the actualité? Iran’s hardliners are ahead. Surely that rules in everyone. Why not a headline saying:

'Everyone surges ahead in the poll'

Or...

'No one disappointed as poll tips everyone for victory'

Or...

'Iran - you win again!'

For my money, The Daily Telegraph supplies the second best headline on the story, and affirms the correctness of the Cor Blimey attitude.

'Iran celebrates election by ending nuclear talks'

Of course. The obvious victory celebration is to declare an end to nuclear diplomacy. Did the same after my first son was born.

And according to the Associated Press:

Iran's constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, barred more than 1,700 candidates — mainly reformists — from running. The candidates were barred on vague charges of not being sufficiently loyal to Islam and the 1979 Islamic revolution.

So the field of candidates has been cut by around 25%. These are reforming candidates. They are not welcome. And as they head into the political wilderness they can be consoled with new friendships they will make with reforming candidates recently released by other hardline political parties.

Tyrone Howe, I'm so sorry...