While Iran's billions in oil revenues underwrites the country's nuclear development, "for peaceful purposes" of course, and its

new wealthy are buying Porsches, getting caviar delivered to late-night parties, and eating $250 ice cream covered in edible gold at what's billed as the highest rotating restaurant in the world.

From the top of Tehran's 1,427-foot-high Milad Tower, Iran's poor appear as tiny dots in the streets below.

"We provide a calm and luxurious atmosphere, away from Tehran's daily problems," said Ahmad Talaee, one of the owners of the Crown restaurant, as he received guests in the VIP section, with room for nearly 300 to enjoy $280 fixed-price meals, golden ice cream not included.

the vast majority of Iranians are not doing well.  As Ahmadinejad's former adviser Hossein Raghfar commented, as quoted by Thomas Erdbrink in the Washington Post 

2.5 million children are working rather than attending school, and that there has been an increase in legal kidney sales - along with a recent price drop, from $10,000 to $2,000, because so many people are selling their organs for cash. 

(snip)

The financial pressures on Iranian society can be seen everywhere, Raghfar said. "There is a rise in crime, prostitution and an underground economy thriving on corruption," he said. "Believe me, this is not what we expected when we joined the revolution."

Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, Turkey revolutionaries--take note.  If not, your citizens will soon be selling their kidneys for the right of a few to nibble on gold flecked ice cream.  Not all revolutions turn out as wonderful as that of the despised Americans.