The List: Who Pulls the Strings in Iran?

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 66

Position: Supreme Leader

Cred: Khamenei, who was president from 1981 to 1989, succeeded the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The Assembly of Experts selected Khamenei as supreme leader in June 1989. The most powerful man in the country, Khamenei has regularly intervened on behalf of conservatives to stifle reform.

Nuclear Tactics: Khamenei keeps his cards very close to his chest and is rumored to trust neither Ahmadinejad nor former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Some experts suspect that Khamenei tacitly endorsed an open letter written by a senior Iranian diplomat and published in the United States in May that suggested talks and asserted that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons.

Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, 71

Position: Chairman of the Expediency Council

Cred: Rafsanjani, who was president from 1989 to 1997, is a wily pragmatist who commanded Iranian forces during the final stages of the Iran-Iraq war. He has little popular support and was defeated by Ahmadinejad in the 2005 presidential race. Since 2002, Rafsanjani has run the Expediency Council, which many perceive as even more powerful than the presidency. If Iran eventually gets the bomb, he will have as good a claim as anyone to its paternity.

Nuclear Tactics: Rafsanjani is eager to exploit divisions in the international community, but he worries that Ahmadinejad is overplaying Irans hand. He is close to Iranian business leaders, who fear that Ahmadinejads fiery rhetoric could elicit increased economic isolation. If Iran does get slapped with further sanctions, Rafsanjani and his allies will be quick to blame Ahmadinejad. Indeed, Rafsanjanis relationship with the president is now so bad that he neglected to send condolences when Ahmadinejads father died in May.

Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, 72

Position: The hard-liners religious and ideological mentor

Cred: Khomeinis former pupil is a religious populist who wants to change the countrys name from the Islamic Republic to the Islamic Government of Iran. He believes that Islam and a republican form of government are ultimately incompatible. Once Iran has true Islamic government, he has said, elections will be unnecessary.

Nuclear Tactics: Yazdi believes Iran should be uncompromising and direct about its nuclear ambitions. He provides Ahmadinejad and his fellow hard-liners with spiritual support for their policy positions. Some members of Ahmadinejads clique view Yazdi as a potential supreme leader, much to Khameneis annoyance.

Ali Larijani, 48

Position: Chief nuclear negotiator

Cred: Larijani comes from a prominent clerical family, is close to Khamenei, and served in Rafsanjanis government. He recently ran the state broadcasting service, where he shut out reformist voices. He also competed against Ahmadinejad in the latest presidential elections, finishing sixth in a field of seven. Still, he was tapped to be secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and lead Irans nuclear negotiations shortly after the election.

Nuclear Tactics: Larijani wants dialogue with the West about nuclear power and would likely serve as Irans interlocutor if international negotiations move to the next stage. He is said to have recently rebuked other Iranian government officials for using incendiary language. There are rumors Ahmadinejad deeply distrusts Larijani and reportedly tried to have him sacked.

Hossein Shariatmadari

Position: Managing editor of the conservative Keyhan newspaper

Cred: Personally appointed by the supreme leader, Shariatmadari runs the newspaper that is the vehicle of choice for attacks on reformers, moderates, and liberals. He is close to Ahmadinejad and was an early supporter of his presidential bid.

Nuclear Tactics: Shariatmadaris publication savages the idea of any concessions by Iran. He lambasted the recent U.S. offer of talks if Iran halts enrichment as blackmail and a trick. Longtime Iran watchers say he has a certain amount of editorial leeway but he still must listen carefully to his patrons. If Keyhans line softens at all, it would indicate that the sands are shifting.