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Yet even Mr Khamenei, who has long subtly promoted Mr Ahmadinejad while feigning a regal distance from the political fray, is signalling doubts about his protégé. Recently he took the unusual step of publicly scolding the president for daring to fire a loyalist cleric who ran the state bureau charged with managing the pilgrimage to Mecca. Taking notice of his shrinking credit, Mr Ahmadinejad cancelled a scheduled South American tour.