The leadership is between a rock and a hard place--the rock is sanctions, and the hard place is a generation of Persian youth who don't know the Shah from Vanilla Ice and could give a shit about the old days and old ways--what they want is what most "tech kids" want; which are things that are very different from their grandparents' hopes and dreams. The ulema will lose their grip over time, simply because of the increasing desire for an international world view by the "children" (young adults who vote) and the fact that the Guardians screwed over the bazaaris after they were so stupid as to back the Ayatullah and then they got back-stabbed for it; so their standing in the business community isn't too swift, either.
The youth will tire of the Guardians deciding who they are "allowed" to vote for, they'll tire of incremental loosening of moral standards, and sooner or later, a charismatic figure will come along and play the "transformation" game. The Guardians see this day coming, which is why they're trying to be a little more loose and accommodating, and allowing Rouhani to be a "cool cleric" instead of a finger-wagging scold like his predecessor.
Obama is doing fine w/Iran. Israel will have to deal and stop adding to the drama. It will all sort out in the wash. Rapprochement, which will take a bit of a while, make no mistake, isn't the same as Obama suddenly declaring the Supreme Leader or his Presidential puppet channeling Doctor Weil in a turban his BFF forever. It's just an ongoing process to dial down the confrontational attitudes in the region, and it's a good thing.
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