"A sympathetic and evocative portrait of the Iranian people, their habits, customs and histories ... Essential reading." - Dr. Stephanie Cronin, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford The eyes of the world are on Iran, from nuclear issues to women's rights to Iran's perspective on Palestine. Yet a strictly political view does not allow for an accurate or complete outlook on this important and facinating country. In Among the Iranians, Greek-born author Sofia A. Koutlaki shares the lessons she's learned firsthand as a foreigner living in Tehran. Through memorable anecdotes and in-depth explanations of Iranian customers, Koutlaki presentd a side of Iran that foreigners rarely see. The author's insight challenges readers to dispel their previous notions and judgements to see Iran at its heart - warm, inviting and rich with tradition. Among the Iranians is also an indispensable practical guide, offering insight about Iranian dress, etiquette and even food.

Following Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979, hundreds of thousands of Iranians fled their homeland. For a great number, Los Angeles was their destination, and today more Iranians live there than anywhere else in the world outside of Iran. This compelling collection of photographs, essays, and interviews explores that exodus from Iran and the Iranian presence in Southern California. While capturing the remarkable diversity of this immigrant community, Irangeles also confronts the sprawling metropolis that is increasingly influenced by its large ethnic and immigrant populations. Iranians, too, are inexorably linked to the demographic changes in California--changes that raise questions of assimilation and cultural survival--and that will see minority populations become the majority in the next century. Integrating visual, textual, and oral sources, this book explicates and humanizes the Iranian experience for scholars and general readers alike. We come to know people from a broad range of occupations and income levels, political persuasions, and religious faiths. Supporters of the deposed Pahlavi regime and staunch followers of Khomeini are here, along with other Muslims, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Baha'is. We hear the voices of women--those who veil themselves in public and those who have adopted Western cultural practices--and learn how both old and new gender roles pressure Iranian women and men. Social relations among Iranian adolescents and the conflicts with their elders are also illuminated. Irangeles is a fascinating portrait of a community caught between two cultures. It offers a new perspective on Iran and its people as well as on immigrant communities in general. Following Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979, hundreds of thousands of Iranians fled their homeland. For a great number, Los Angeles was their destination, and today more Iranians live there than anywhere else in the world outside of Iran. This compelling collection of photographs, essays, and interviews explores that exodus from Iran and the Iranian presence in Southern California. While capturing the remarkable diversity of this immigrant community, Irangeles also confronts the sprawling metropolis that is increasingly influenced by its large ethnic and immigrant populations. Iranians, too, are inexorably linked to the demographic changes in California--changes that raise questions of assimilation and cultural survival--and that will see minority populations become the majority in the next century. Integrating visual, textual, and oral sources, this book explicates and humanizes the Iranian experience for scholars and general readers alike. We come to know people from a broad range of occupations and income levels, political persuasions, and religious faiths. Supporters of the deposed Pahlavi regime and staunch followers of Khomeini are here, along with other Muslims, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Baha'is. We hear the voices of women--those who veil themselves in public and those who have adopted Western cultural practices--and learn how both old and new gender roles pressure Iranian women and men. Social relations among Iranian adolescents and the conflicts with their elders are also illuminated. Irangeles is a fascinating portrait of a community caught between two cultures. It offers a new perspective on Iran and its people as well as on immigrant communities in general.

A comprehensive but concise overview of Iran's politics, economy, military, foreign policy, and nuclear program. The volume chronicles U.S.-Iran relations under six American presidents and probes five options for dealing with Iran. Organized thematically, this book provides top-level briefings by 50 top experts on Iran (both Iranian and Western authors) and is a practical and accessible "go-to" resource for practitioners, policymakers, academics, and students, as well as a fascinating wealth of information for anyone interested in understanding Iran's pivotal role in world politics.

'Iran Modern' offers a timely exploration of the cultural diversity and production of avant-garde art in Iran after World War II and up to the revolution, from 1950 through to 1979.

"A history of the relationship between Iran and America from the 1700s through the current day"--

This award-winning study traces the shifting relations between Israel, Iran, and the U.S. since 1948—including secret alliances and treacherous acts. Vitriolic exchanges between the leaders of Iran and Israel are a disturbingly common feature of the news cycle. But the real roots of their enmity mystify Washington policymakers, leaving no promising pathways to stability. In Treacherous Alliance, U.S. foreign policy expert Trita Parsi untangles to complex and often duplicitous relationship among Israel, Iran, and the United States from 1948 to the present. In the process, he reveals shocking details of unsavory political maneuverings that have undermined Middle Eastern peace and disrupted U.S. foreign policy initiatives in the region. Parsi draws on his unique access to senior American, Iranian, and Israeli decision makers to present behind-the-scenes revelations that will surprise even the most knowledgeable readers: Iran’s prime minister asks Israel to assassinate Khomeini; Israel reaches out to Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War; the United States foils Iran’s plan to withdraw support from Hamas and Hezbollah; and more. Treacherous Alliance not only revises our understanding of the recent past, it also spells out a course for the future. An Arthur Ross Book Award Silver Medal Winner A Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title

How Iran—and the world around it—have changed in the four decades since a revolutionary theocracy took power Iran's 1979 revolution is one of the most important events of the late twentieth century. The overthrow of the Western-leaning Shah and the emergence of a unique religious government reshaped Iran, dramatically shifted the balance of power in the Middle East and generated serious challenges to the global geopolitical order—challenges that continue to this day. The seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran later that same year and the ensuing hostage crisis resulted in an acrimonious breach between America and Iran that remains unresolved to this day. The revolution also precipitated a calamitous war between Iran and Iraq and an expansion of the U.S. military's role in maintaining security in and around the Persian Gulf. Forty years after the revolution, more than two dozen experts look back on the rise of the Islamic Republic and explore what the startling events of 1979 continue to mean for the volatile Middle East as well as the rest of the world. The authors explore the events of the revolution itself; whether its promises have been kept or broken; the impact of clerical rule on ordinary Iranians, especially women; the continuing antagonism with the United States; and the repercussions not only for Iran's immediate neighborhood but also for the broader Middle East. Complete with a helpful timeline and suggestions for further reading, this book helps put the Iranian revolution in historical and geopolitical perspective, both for experts who have long studied the Middle East and for curious readers interested in fallout from the intense turmoil of four decades ago.

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. Writing from an Iranian rather than a European perspective, Katouzian integrates the significant cultural and literary history of Iran with its political and social history. Some of the greatest poets of human history wrote in Persian—among them Rumi, Omar Khayyam, and Saadi—and Katouzian discusses and occasionally quotes their work. In his thoughtful analysis of Iranian society, Katouzian argues that the absolute and arbitrary power traditionally enjoyed by Persian/Iranian rulers has resulted in an unstable society where fear and short-term thinking dominate. A magisterial history, this book also serves as an excellent background to the role of Iran in the contemporary world.