WHY IRAN REFUSED THE US BADMINTON TEAM (WikiLeaks)
 
Summary: A trusted contact claims he was told by a
close advisor to Iranian President Ahmadinejad that Iran
denied visas for the planned February 4, 2009 visit of the US
women’s badminton because of the USG’s “bad faith” in
announcing the visit earlier than Iran had requested.
According to the contact, Supreme Leader Khamenei only agreed
to the visit after Ahmadinejad urged him to do so, and only
on the understanding that no public announcements would be
made until after the team’s arrival in Iran.  Instead, the
USG announced the visit on February 2, as the team was
awaiting Iranian visas in Dubai.  The regime wanted to
maintain full control of media coverage of the event, to
avoid a replay of the 1998 US wrestling team visit, when
Iranian crowds were filmed waving American flags and cheering
the US team.  The regime believed the USG issued the early
announcement to create a similar dynamic, and now Khamenei
and Ahmadinejad feel “burned.”

Comment: If accurate, this scenario underscores the
challenges to building trust with a regime that feels an
obsessive fear of losing control over both the process and
substance of possible engagement with the USG.

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DW: t’is interesting to see just how royally fooked the world of international relations really is… when world leaders are getting pissy over the timing of sporting announcements.