Via the New York Times, a WikiLeaked cable from an Azerbaijan-based U.S. diplo has this rumor about what happened when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested relaxing restrictions on the press in early 2010:
3. (S) According to source, Ahmedinejad’s statements infuriated Revolutionary Guard Chief of Staff Mohammed Ali Jafari, who exclaimed “You are wrong! (In fact) it is YOU who created this mess! And now you say give more freedom to the press?!” Source said that Jafarli then slapped Ahmedinejad in the face, causing an uproar and an immediate call for a break in the meeting, which was never resumed. Source said that SNSC did not meet again for another two weeks, after Ayatollah Janati succesfully acted as a “peacemaker” between Jafarli and Ahmedinejad.
One has to wonder if Ahmadinejad reacted like Charlie Murphy.
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