'An excellent contribution to our knowledge of Iran and Soleimani.' Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave When the US assassinated Qassem Soleimani, he was one of the most powerful men in Iran. Known as 'the shadow commander', he enacted the wishes of the country's Supreme Leader across the Middle East, establishing the Islamic Republic as a major force in the region. But all this was a long way from where he began - on the margins of a nation whose ruler was seen as a friend of the West. Through Soleimani, Arash Azizi examines how Iran came to be where it is today. Providing a rare insight into a country whose actions are often discussed but seldom understood, he reveals the global ambitions underlying Iran's proxy wars, geopolitics and nuclear programme.

On Tuesday 13 September 2022, Iran’s police forces brutally beat Mahsa Amini, only 22 years old. By Friday she is dead. By Sunday, women have taken to the streets across Iran, setting their headscarves on fire and cursing the Supreme Leader. Months later, workers down their tools and businesses close. The battle-cry everywhere: Women, Life, Freedom. This isn’t a passing protest wave – this is a revolution. Arash Azizi guides us through Iran ablaze, history being made in real time. From an International Women’s Day celebrated inside Iran’s most notorious prison to mass strikes in Kurdistan, ordinary Iranians are risking everything to bring down the regime. Over a year later, one thing’s clear: no Supreme Leader can turn the clock back. A different Iran is within sight; Azizi shows us what it might look like.