the president’s chief of staff and the man Ahmadi-nejad’s opponents most love to hate and to damn as the leader of the “deviant current” in Iran. We haven’t said much because he decided back in the spring to go to ground. He ceased making public appearances, although previously he would usually be seen in photos standing beside the president at all sorts of functions. But Fars news agency reported last week that he had surfaced after 165 days of silence. Mashai wasn’t seen—but he sent a message that was read at a meeting of German and Iranian literary figures honoring Hafez.