I read an article by James Lewis that connects Ahmadinejad's UN speech to the traditional Shia apocalyptic warning. Ahmadinejad is saying that Iran intends to destroy everything it can, even willingly sacrificing itself. (Lewis calls him Ahmadi-Nejad).
I wish I knew who the James Lewis is who wrote this article. Does he know Persian? As that great teacher of relativism, Stanley Fish, has correctly pointed out, it matters who says what and what authority they have (author of: Is there a Text in this Class?).
If a Persian scholar says what Lewis is saying it should set off nuclear alarm bells in every room in the world.