Chief Iranian Nuclear Negotiater (and obssessed Paul McCartnery player) Saeed Jalili.  Photo: Hossein Fatemi, Fars News Agency

In a shocking turn, the multi-party talks in Geneva with Iran, the US, Germany, France, and others, Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, softened his image by pulling out an XBox 360 loaded with Beatles: Rock Band.  Jalili (who also moonlights in Tehran spinning vinyl as DJ Saeeeeeeeed) shocked the US Undersectretary of State when he handed him a guitar controller.  "I always play Paul," he said, confirming one of the more hotly contested bits of US intelligence.

It was a move that caught the other parties by surprise.  While there has been strong intelligence pointing to Jalili's recent obsession with the video game, the western powers had no idea he was such a McCartney fanatic.  A brief controversy ensued when Russia chose to sit out the first round rather than play Ringo, but the British delegation stepped forward to pick up the sticks.

A member of the Iranian delegation, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that the surprising negotiation strategy was hatched at the last minute.  "The truth is, this couldn't have happened at a worse time for Saeed.  It takes some time to get the new video games in Iran, so he really just got this one.  He's been so obsessed with it since he got it, there's been no time to prepare for these talks.  Then, last night on the plane, he pulls this out of his hat.  I mean, you can see why he's the chief negotiator ... the US doesn't have a chance of besting his Paul."