Is Iran coming in from the cold? Hints pile up as new president prepares for NYC trip

Anti-Israel rants and 9/11 conspiracy theories often made Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's fiery speeches to the U.N. General Assembly a cue for many Western delegates to leave the chamber.
But all eyes will be on Hassan Rouhani, the centrist cleric who was elected as Iran's new president in June, when he steps onto the world stage at this year's gathering in New York later this month.
Known as "the diplomatic sheikh" in his homeland, Rouhani has hinted that he favors a more conciliatory approach than his predecessor.

Eduardo Munoz / Reuters

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's addresses to the U.N. General Assembly during his eight years as Iran's president were often controversial.

"The Iranian people voted 'yes' to moderation," Rouhani said during his swearing-in address. Amid the long-simmering nuclear standoff, he has also called for better relations with the West and said that the only way to get Iran out of its current rut was to negotiate with America.
A recent visit to Tehran by Jeffrey Feltman, a U.N. envoy who served as a senior State Department official during President Barack Obama’s first term, has also triggered speculation that diplomatic back channels are being explored