KEY POINTS:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sat on the podium, a satisfied smile hovering around the corners of his mouth, clearly savouring the enormous surprise he was about to spring on the world.
One minute sermonising, the next pinning a medal on a grizzled revolutionary guard, this was, from the beginning, Ahmadinejad's day.
As he stepped forward for the last act, to meet the 15 captives at the centre of this extraordinary saga, the sky was lit up by a flash of lightning and a long rumble of thunder.
Just hours earlier, few people had expected so sudden a denouement. The presence of half the Cabinet, including the Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and the turbaned figures of the interior and intelligence ministers, was the first suggestion that this would be a press conference like no other.
Behind the presidential stage was a surreal backdrop, featuring a mosque in a translucent globe, and the slogan: "Cling firmly together by means of God's rope and do not separate". Dressed more smartly than usual in a pale suit, Ahmadinejad started with religion, a good 10 minutes of it. He talked of Abraham and Isaac, of Jesus and Mohammad. Journalists were starting to exchange bemused looks when the tone suddenly changed. "The servants of the almighty do not bow to tyrants," he said. "The dignity and value of nations is ignored, their rights are trampled and their land is occupied. Their freedom and security are taken away and their drive to progress is stopped.
They have no recourse to stand up to bullies and defend themselves."
This was the start of a diatribe, comprising the imperial iniquities of the British and Americans and the weakness of the United Nations Security Council in bowing to them.
He pitied the poor young men who were sent by their wicked leaders to fight unjust wars thousands of miles from home.
He berated them for their past and present, for their exploitation of Iran's oil, their backing of the Shah and their support for Saddam Hussein's eight-year war on Iran.
Reprimand over, he smiled.
Time for the first good news: a medal for the brave hero of the sacred defence of his homeland, the revolutionary guardsman in charge of capturing the perfidious British invaders.
Then the big announcement: a gift for the religious holidays of Islam, Judaism and Christianity - a gift "from the people of Iran to the people of Britain" - the release, without trial, of the captives.
Two hours later, the 15 walked shyly around the corner of the presidential palace in shiny grey suits, and into the eye of the international press.
Ahmadinejad stood, and, with a benevolent smile, welcomed them to freedom. "We would like to thank you very much," said one, as his hand was taken by the world's greatest political showman. Looking relieved and relaxed, they turned and were shepherded back into the palace.
- Independent
