Yes Mr Ayotallah, they're pissed off at the central bank and not you

[Protheroe]

At least the Iranian regime have put to bed once and for all any notion that they are anything other than an utterly malign influence in the region and the world. Thank goodness Israel and the US have managed to eradicate their influence in other parts of the Middle East. Ratchet up the sanctions and it's only a matter of time before the regime falls.

Trump is playing an interesting game. In both Venezuela and Iran, China is very much in his crosshairs.

Hope so. When you look at what a glorious place it was before the Islamic revolution it breaks your heart. I knew an Iranian guy (described himself as Persian though, generally a sign of someone's politic views) who escaped to Germany because of his "acts against God". The lesson to be learnt is to fill the vacuum promptly and securely which, of course, was where the big mistake was after invading Iraq and deposing Saddam.

The biggest mistake is believing that countries in the Middle East are capable of anything approaching a liberal democracy. They aren't. Even when given the vote they choose extremists - Egypt being the most obvious example. The lesson is supporting the most benign dictatorship, I suppose.

The word you are stretching for is “armpit”

Would you suggest the behaviour of the Iranian regime is inconsistent with that description? Or the Egyptians actually voting for the rancid Muslim Brotherhood?