I remember a time during Bill Clinton's era when moderates were slowly but very, very surely taking over Iran's government. But moderates I mean people who didn't buy into the theocracy and who were interested to increase relations with the rest of the world.

Today there aren't any visible ones left. Instead there are known murderers (AKA Ahmadinejad) screaming out some hilariously batshit things while the theocracy has very effectively reasserted control.

Now, why do you think that is? What changed in the past decade? What could it possibly be?

Seems like the solution is simple enough. If you stop stirring a beehive the bees eventually get bored and get back to living their lives, that religious nut on the corner be damned.