“A majestic work that goes a long way in unraveling . . . the country’s enigmas and apparent contradictions.”
—Ervand Abrahamian, New York Review of Books

This history of modern Iran is not a survey in the conventional sense but an ambitious exploration of the story of a nation. It offers a revealing look at how events, people, and institutions are shaped by currents that sometimes reach back hundreds of years.

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“A compelling portrait of revolution, protest, and reform in modern Iran.”—Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi, author of Revolution and Its Discontents

In this comprehensive history, Homa Katouzian explores Iran from the 1940s to the present, showing how the 1979 revolution came into being. From the chaos of oil nationalisation to the overthrow of Mosaddeq in 1953, through the revolutionary moment itself, to the resistance movements of contemporary Iran, the revolution has had long and lasting effects.

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“If one has only limited time to gain an appreciation of the revolutionary force of Islam in Iran, it should be spent here.”
—Scott Armstrong, Washington Post Book World

In this substantially revised and expanded version of Nikki Keddie’s classic work Roots of Revolution, the author brings the story of modern Iran to the present day, exploring the political, cultural, and social changes of the past quarter century. Keddie provides insightful commentary on the Iran-Iraq war, the Persian Gulf War, and the effects of 9/11 and Iran’s strategic relationship with the U.S.

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“Katouzian is a convincing analyst of Iranian history.”
—Robert Carver, Tablet

In recent years, Iran has gained attention mostly for negative reasons—its authoritarian religious government, disputed nuclear program, and controversial role in the Middle East—but there is much more to the story of this ancient land than can be gleaned from the news. This authoritative and comprehensive history of Iran, written by Homa Katouzian, an acclaimed expert, covers the entire history of the area from the ancient Persian Empire to today’s Iranian state.

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“[A] wonderfully informative account of the triangular relationship among the US, Iran, and Israel.”—Peter Galbraith, New York Review of Books

In this era of superheated rhetoric and vitriolic exchanges between the leaders of Iran and Israel, the threat of nuclear violence looms. But the real roots of the enmity between the two nations mystify Washington policymakers, and no promising pathways to peace have emerged. This book traces the shifting relations among Israel, Iran, and the United States from 1948 to the present, uncovering for the first time the details of secret alliances, treacherous acts, and unsavory political maneuverings that have undermined Middle Eastern stability and disrupted U.S. foreign policy initiatives in the region.

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