WHO is Liam Nathan, Irish Senate leader? Agency reports from Tehran last week say he was being lobbied to help bring about a rapprochement between the EU and the Islamic republic.
He is none other than Liam Naughton, above, the Cathaoirleach of the Senate, who led a delegation of Senators David Norris, Michael Mulcahy, Dan Neville, Bill Cotter, Rory Kiely and Bill Cashin to Iran on an invitation from his counterpart, the chairman of the Iranian senate. The Iranians want better relations with the EU and hope Ireland can play a role.
By all accounts the visit was a success and much tribute was paid to Senator Naughton by his colleagues. At one stage an Iranian minister announced that Allah had showered Ireland with blessings to such an extent that the cows didn't have to walk around the fields to find the grass. So, he said, in thanks to Allah, the Irish should sell their beef to Iran at a special price. Our Cathaoirleach's reply was said to be a model of humour and diplomacy.
There were serious discussions too. David Norris wanted to know about women's rights, gay rights and Salman Rushdie. He was told by Ali Akbar Velayati that Muslim countries took a very harsh line on homosexuality. "I regard them as barbarians but they did their best to show us they are not. We were the same 200 years ago ... and then their architecture is stunning."