Imagine that a Sufi saint named Hajji abu Muslim goes into a trance and attains a unity of intellect. Allah directs him to dial a telephone number, he does so, and “Supreme Leader” Khamenei answers the phone.

“Salaam Aleikum. This is Ali.”

“Allahu Akbar. This is Allah. I command you to resign immediately.”

“Who is this?”

“I am Allah and I am great. I warn you to end your tyranny. You must resign.”

Mr. Khamenei slams down the phone. He mutters, “English imposter!”

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Even if God Himself were to get on the phone and tell Iran’s leaders what to do, there is nothing keeping Iran’s leaders from thinking it is some crank call from a Mousavi supporter. In Shi’ite Islam, the guiding hand is generally hidden from view. It is typically seen as a sign of weakness to show one’s hand, which is precisely why Mr. Khamenei’s overt support for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is so scandalous. Most ayatollahs and certainly the traditionalist ayatollahs are customarily elliptical in their speech, typically phrasing their opinions in terms of universal principles.

It is a rare ayatollah who would express his views in the language of vernacular politics.