How International Diplomacy Really Works: A Flash of Hope for the Future

"The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran never shakes hands with a woman, and he has never shaken Claudia Roth's hand either," a spokesman for the Iranian embassy told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper. "

Claudia Roth, Leader of the German Green Party, has been an ardent critic of Iran, especially over its treatment of women.

That's the thing about being a skilled diplomat and good at doing your job;

You have to be pretty accomodating,charismasic and openminded on a personal level, just to get your nation's voice heard and understood and represented clearly to the right people, usually in spite of often overly heated or markedly icy and curt public pronouncements to the contrary for the benefit of any interested third parties who expect to see such  a display.

That being the case, it's scaresely surprising if, in the course of conducting such business, you end up acquiring some pretty good and lifelong friends....

The Supreme Leader, however, would not be very amused....

(At least not in public).