A Turning Point?

by Patrick Appel

Joe Klein previews Friday:

There's lots of speculation about what Rafsanjani might say. One Iranian friend said, "It's the speech of his life, a chance to redeem his career. He must call for the rejection of the election results." Unfortunately, that's never been Rafsanjani's style and is an unlikely alternative now. But he and his family are also too closely identified with the protest movement for him to just acquiese and kowtow to the Revolutionary Guard Corps-dominated government. Another Iranian friend predicts, "He'll announce the formation of a political front that will work within the system but oppose the Ahmadinejad government." That seems more plausible.