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The former speaker of the Iranian parliament has announced his candidacy for president of Iran. You’ll be told he’s a “reformist” who will bring a new viewpoint and attitude to the office. Don’t believe it. The “reformist” candidate—who owes his political career to Ayatollah Khameini—is going to be nothing but more of the same. From an interview last year:

Q: What is the difference between Etemad-e-Melli and other reformist parties such as al Musharaka party [Islamic Iran Participation Front] and how do you regard the future of reform in Iran?

A: We have announced our political program but we have not declared the differences between us and the rest of the reform parties in Iran – that is for the people to judge. They need to look at the different parties and decide what the differences are between them. We are a party that embraces all the classes within society: students, workers, professionals and the clergy. Our party operates within the general framework of the Iranian republic’s constitution, which means it adheres to the ‘republic’ and the ‘Islamic’ elements in it. For it to be a republic means that all the political institutions must be elected by the people and to be Islamic means that it must comply with the rules of Islam.

Our approach relies upon Imam Khamenei’s example (Khatt al Imam – followers of the line of the Imams). We try to compete with a strong presence in all of the elections, we are doing this now so that we may reach power and service the people. With the exception of Israel, we believe that Iran should have good relations with all the countries – even the United States. Our policy is to alleviate the tensions between Iran and the rest of the world, and to negotiate and succeed in unity. It is only natural for us to strive towards having good relations with the Islamic world and the countries in the region. However it must be said that the US was very harsh with Iran. […] We can negotiate and discuss issues with the US but it must be on a fair and equal basis, it cannot feel superior to us or exercise preferential treatment on our behalf.

Neither will he bring any change regarding Iranian nukes.

In terms of the nuclear issue, Iran is facing external pressure from the US and the Zionist regime – in addition to some false statements that were declared in Iran and that were not premeditated, which have led to increased pressures.

If he runs—and that’s a big if, because nobody runs for office without getting approved by the mullahs—expect the world media to fall all over itself declaring that he is a “reformist” and that he will make big changes in Iran. Maybe he’ll make some internal changes, but Iran’s foreign policy will remain exactly the same. At the end of the day, the president is merely a figurehead. He always does what the mullahs—and especially Khameini—want him to do.

Why is this story not getting wider play?

International nuclear inspectors have begun investigating whether a Russian scientist helped Iran conduct complex experiments on how to detonate a nuclear weapon, according to European and American officials.

As part of the investigation, inspectors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are seeking information from the scientist, who they believe acted on his own as an adviser on experiments described in a lengthy document obtained by the agency, the officials said.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the document appeared authentic, without explaining why, but they made it clear that they did not think the scientist was working on behalf of the Russian government.

Still, it is the first time that the nuclear agency has suggested that Iran may have received help from a foreign weapons scientist in developing nuclear arms.

The Russians are helping Iran build nuclear weapons? That’s huge. And the fact that the IAEA insists it’s a “lone gunman” Russian scientist? That’s bull.

This evidence is a smoking gun that Iran is trying to create nuclear weapons, and yet, the UN Security Council won’t vote on sanctions. Why would they? The Russians are supplying Iran with everything they need to build a nuclear bomb. Is Russia that stupid that they think they’ll be immune to the Iranian bomb, or are the Iranians smart enough not to threaten Russia? I don’t think they’ve forgotten Chechen.

According to Friday reports in several leading newspapers, a closed-door briefing held in February at the agency’s Vienna headquarters, had the IAEA’s chief nuclear inspector, Olli Heinonen, present diplomats from dozens of countries with newly declassified evidence, documents, sketches and even a video that he said raised questions about whether Iran had tried to design a weapon.

Among the data presented by Heinonen, were indications that the Iranians had worked on exploding detonators that are critical for the firing of most nuclear weapons.

How many years did we hear the chief of the IAEA tell us that the Iranians weren’t working towards nuclear weapons? How much longer will the world not take any action? Now is the time to issue crushing sanctions. Crude oil is at its lowest prices in over a year. Iran’s economy is floundering. Real sanctions would have an effect on the Iranian race to the bomb.

But then, the Russians have a veto in the UNSC. And they’re helping Iran in every way possible—supplying fuel, technology, and now, instructions on how to make the bombs explode. When John McCain says that when he looks into Putin’s eyes and sees a K, a G, and a B, he is on the right track. The rest of the world should take heed.