I have been in Iran for two weeks talking with a wide variety of people here, many of whom say they believe that President Ahmadinejad would really like to have relations with the United States.  They say that he has sent out signals to that effect, and Washington has either not picked up them on or it is something Bush simply chooses to ignore.

But then the Iranian President talks about “Satanic camps and powers which are stained with corruption.”  One of the country’s important ayatollahs piled it on, saying: “We are very happy that America’s economy is in jeopardy and they are paying the price for their bad deeds. God is punishing them.”  It would appear Tehran’s relationship to America remains as it has been over the past 30 years, confrontational.

Due to U.S. imposed sanctions, Iran’s economy has pretty much been insulated from financial shockwaves that have been felt worldwide.  Despite the fact that Iran cannot do transactions in dollars anymore, it’s the currency they deal in — unofficially.  It is also the currency oil is priced at, and as that benchmark, Iranians worry its value will fall during this time of financial turmoil.

Iran’s economy is dependent upon oil which has just hit a year low at $83 per barrel.  One economist I spoke to here said Iran will be in trouble if it goes below $75.

Despite the tensions between governments, average Iranians do not appear to be taking pleasure in America’s financial woes. The Iranians I have met here over my seven trips are really fond of Americans and would like to see the two countries work things out.  Some express disdain for Washington’s foreign policy.  Some don’t.  Some are critical of their own president and system.  Others aren’t.

But one thing is certain — Iranians have their own financial problems which are separate to America’s.  Many here say it mainly has to do with internal economic mismanagement, government’s handouts  — which have injected a lot of liquidity into the system — and inflation, which officially, is at 28%,  though it may be higher. Government supporters now just blame Iran’s problems on the global economic crisis and U.S. sanctions for their own woes.

And like Americans, Iranians talk about the price of some foods doubling in recent weeks and utilities bills rising steeply.

But unlike Americas, Iranians aren’t worried about their retirement plans because its stock market — reported to be doing fine –  is not linked in with the global markets.