As for "given his regime's persecution of Iran's tiny Christian community" - which doesn't begin to compare with what has been happening to the ancient Christian community in Iraq, which was quite sizable until the occupation.
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It appears that the Iranian diplomatic staff taken prisoner by the Americans, and still held incommunicado in face of protests by the Iraqi government are now to be allowed consular access. It has been suggested that this might be tied up with the British sailor episode, since the refusal to allow such consular access was becoming very embarrassing for the British government.