GETTING READY TO DATE SATAN:

Throughout the process, Mr. Khamenei has authorized every negotiating step, and in recent months - as the talks closed in on the Nov. 24 deadline - increasingly engaged in laying down Iran's "red line" positions and gave personal support to Iran's diplomats.

In the past week there have been further signs of Khamenei lining up support for a deal: an orchestrated nationwide push from Friday prayer leaders and even senior military officers - voices that have often been critical of negotiations - to support the talks and a possible compromise with foreign powers led by a long-standing arch-enemy, the United States.

Follow @brothersjudd