The Iran Primer

Since Iran's 1979 revolution, the West has struggled to understand what drives the Islamic Republic and how to deal with it. The challenge now looms even larger in the face of Iran's controversial nuclear program, disputed 2009 election, growing human rights violations, and angry rhetoric. Difficult to engage yet impossible to ignore, Iran presents the world's most complex foreign policy dilemma. The Iran Primer offers a comprehensive but concise overview of Iran's politics, economy, military, foreign policy, and nuclear program. It 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) as well as a handful of rising talent. It provides hard factual information for ready reference, thoughtful analysis, and context. The Iran Primer is a practical and accessible go-toA" 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. This volume is a joint product of the United States Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.