Nairobi — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is playing King Cyrus the Great. He's yet to win a major battle, but some people in the United States are already saving face.

Cyrus, an Iranian, lived close to half a century before A.D. Amidst myths and facts he battled any power within reach and build an empire extending from Asian minor to Indus River and Central Asia.

Mr Ahmadinejad denies such ambitions. However, some people think Iran plans to extend political and economic bullying to the same range and beyond through nuclear weapons. The president acts accordingly.

On taking office, Mr Ahmadinejad found what appears to be a conflict. Actually, there are two. The United States wraps them into one by poking its nose into what is none of its business.

Iran and the US have bilateral quarrels. On the other hand, Iran and the UN, through the International Atomic Energy Agency, quarrels over Tehran's nuclear programme. A treaty permits that.

The US quarrel with Iran dates from the Iranian revolution that ousted the Shah nearly three decades ago. The revolution's leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, spewed venom at the US, which he called the Great Satan. Mr Ahmadinejad seems bent on surpassing the Ayatollah.

Reasons preceding the Cold War caused the West, the US at the forefront, to want friendly rulers in the region. These reasons include gateways to Central Asia and oil reserves. Two fifths of world's oil flows through the Persian Gulf. It's within range of weapons thousands of miles in the region.

Washington has a knack for making the US unlovable, especially in the Muslim world. Inevitably, haters of the US and its allies have found sympathizers in Iran. It would be naïve to assume otherwise. Washington's talk of Tehran harbouring and aiding terrorists isn't hollow.

Unfortunately, the US hitches bilateral quarrels on Iran's nuclear programme on Iran's presumed intention to use nuclear weapons, even via terrorists. Result: no talking to Iran until it abandons its nuclear programme.

That's ludicrous. The US and the then Soviet Union talked all the time during the Cold War while each aimed nuclear warheads at each other's major cities. That's why a nuclear war never broke out.

Iran is signatory to the Non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty. The treaty allows five nuclear weapons states-the US, France, Britain, China and Russia-to keep their bombs. The treaty permits non-weapons nations access to nuclear technology but not making the bomb. Iran insists it's towing this line. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has actually issued a fatwa against the bomb.

The treaty also requires signatory nations to allow IAEA inspections. Iran lied to IAEA inspectors for 18 years though. Since the lie became know, Iran has also repeatedly made IAEA inspections difficult. Hence, the assertion Iran can't be trusted.

Well, nations tell lies all the time. The non-proliferation treaty, for example, obliges the nuclear-weapons states to negotiate disarmament. However, they are forever interpreting-telling lies-the treaty. That's why the US continues fine-tuning its nuclear and missile technology. The British government wants another generation of nuclear submarines, presumably to catch tuna.

On the nuclear issue, Iran, like all other nuclear weapons states, is out of step with a majority of nations. In all fairness, as long as Iran hasn't chucked the treaty, the IAEA has the right to refer it to the UN Security Council. Last December it did. Iran couldn't care less. The council now plans tougher sanctions.

Were Iran to make the bomb, the IAEA and the council know what to do. The US has no mandate. Bellicose rhetoric from Washington amounts to showing a Spanish bull the red flag. It's pursuit of bipolar power and meets resistance a la Mr. Ahmadinejad, while Washington lacks recourse.

Somebody in Washington seems to have woken up. The US plans to attend a scheduled conference on Iraq together with, among other nations, Iran. The talks are on bogged down war in Iraqi. Actually, Washington finally has a back door to save face, a victory, albeit small, for Mr. Ahmadinejad.