Monday, October 20, 2008

Nuclear nationalism radiates in Iran


- Did you hear that the Iranian government has just designated the date as the "national" fruit? - Why date? - Because it gives energy and has a nucleus (Iranian joke transmitted via SMS) The success with which the Iranian government has been able to turn the nuclear issue into the proclaimed position of the 'Iranian nation' has intrigued many external observers of Iran. As the widely recounted joke reprinted above suggests, the Iranian nation has not lost its sense of humour and has taken the government's pronouncements about Iran's national rights with a grain of salt.

[first posted to http://jiaa.janes.com - 10 October 2008]

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