Description
Book SynopsisExamines the rule of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, especially from 1953 to 1979, in the context of his regime's dependence on the United States and his dreams of transforming Iran into a world power. This book argues that, despite the Shah's early achievements, his goals and policies were full of inherent contradictions and weaknesses.
Trade Review"A sober, scholarly study of the place of Iran in world politics, of the 53-year reign of the Pahlavi family and of the effects of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's dependence on the United States."--New York Times "[A] scholar's measured assessment, based on knowledge of the country and of Persian sources, and skillful in its interweaving of domestic and international factors."--Foreign Affairs "[T]he best single volume on contemporary Iran."--Shahram Chubin, International Affairs "Saikal's book achieves a high level of specificity and detail while remaining easily readable and therefore it is a handy academic resource as well as an accessible text for a general audience."--Pascal Abidor, Political Studies Review "Saikal updates this edition with an excellent introduction devoted to the dynamics of contemporary politics in the Islamic Republic and Iran's nuclear ambitions... [T]his study, still timely after three decades, naturally invites comparisons between the autocratic shah and his equally repressive successors."--Jonathan G. Katz, The Historian
