[pppp]

'the Mullahs in Iran do not think rationally (not by Western standards anyway).'
The Mullahs are were rational people. Compare the power they have with the power and influences the clergy has in western countries. In secular [westernized] country they would be marginalized. Fighting with western influences they fight for their political and economical survival. The same goes for hereditary clan leaders [ in Middle East Muslim societies the two categories overlap]. I'm not privy to the package offered by Europeans and US to Iranian government. But if the 'incentives' amount to help to strenghten the country economically and help to modernize it then Good Luck!!! I'm going to buy plenty of pop corn and bear because a good show is coming.

[Cindy]

"I'm going to buy plenty of pop corn and bear because a good show is coming."

GIGGLING...It should be a real good show if the bear eats all your popcorn.
You need a better online translator, I believe.

[odds]

By Mullahs not thinking rationally, I mean the Mullahs think in terms of their own self interest, not the broader good of Iran or Iranian people. Self interest and self preservation are particularly applicable to totalitarian regimes such as IRI.

That is why IRI steals & squanders Iran's national wealth (more interested in providing support to terrorist organizations such as Hamas and IRI created Hezbollah), and maims, starves, prostitutes, beats, jails and kills its own citizens and plays power games externally with the West to maintain power and control.

"Compare the power they have with the power and influences the clergy has in western countries."

There is no comparison because the clergy in the West are not in charge of a government of a country.