Western sanctions have made it harder than ever for Iran to acquire the means to build a nuclear bomb; and yet it is still acquiring them.

“While we were talking to the Europeans in Tehran, we were installing equipment . . . in Isfahan,” boasted Iran’s nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani in 2006. Now he is the president.

No doubt Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is less worried that his pet candidates did poorly in Friday's election than pleased to have an electoral process. . .