Iran is now in the eye of the storm. As events in Iraq deteriorate, a US invasion of Iran looms as a real threat.

This book provides a detailed analysis of Iran's recent history, and in particular how the country has been shaped by the 1979 revolution. It is often forgotten that modern Iran is a revolutionary republic that arose out of the overthrow of the old, secular and very pro-western regime. Since the revolution, this has been replaced by an Islamic State.

Maryam Panah explores the Iranian revolution in its international context, and examines the different forces at play within the country, and how these conflicting political interests continue to mould the country today and shape its external relations.